FINDLAY, OH (WLIO) - A Findlay man is in custody after a Tuesday morning barricade.
Just before 8 AM, Findlay Police was dispatched to the 1800 block of Bishop Lane with reports of a shots fired call. Upon arrival, officers attempted to make contact through the telephone and a PA system, but the subject refused to answer. The Findlay Police Department Emergency Response Team was then called out, and a search warrant was obtained for the home. Eventually, officers breached the front door to introduce a portable phone, but the subject picked it up and threw it back outside. Eventually, the subject's mother was able to establish communication, and a negotiator subsequently took over and convinced the subject to peacefully surrender. Police then searched the home and did not find a firearm but did find exploded firecrackers in the backyard. The subject is being held at the Hancock County Justice Center for obstructing official business, and his name is being withheld for concerns about mental health.
June 11, 2024, Press Release from the Findlay Police Department: FINDLAY, OH - On 06-11-24 at 0748 hours, FPD officers were dispatched to a shots-fired call in the 1800 block of Bishop Lane. The caller reported that their neighbor had fired three gunshots off his back porch. The individual in question has a known history of mental illness with the FPD. Officers arrived on scene and attempted to make telephone contact with the individual, but he would not answer. A PA system was used to try and establish contact, but he refused to acknowledge it. Officers were able to locate the complainant and confirm through the audio of a home surveillance system that sounds consistent with gunshots were heard coming from subject's residence. Due to the nature of the call, the FPD Emergency Response Team (ERT) was called out. They continued making attempts to communicate with the subject, but he refused to speak with police. A search warrant for the home was obtained. After multiple failed attempts at communication, the decision was made to introduce a portable phone into the residence. There were no open and unlocked means into the home, so the front door was breached. The portable phone was introduced into the home. The subject collected it and threw it back outside the home. Continued communication attempts were made. Eventually, the subject's mother was able to establish telephone communication with him. An ERT negotiator took over the communication and was able to convince the subject to surrender. The ERT was able to secure the male without injury or further incident. The subject made admissions that he had been setting off firecrackers in his backyard. A search of the home was conducted; no firearm was located. Remnants of exploded firecrackers were found in the backyard. The subject was arrested and incarcerated at the Hancock County Justice Center on a charge of ORD 525.07 Obstructing Official Business. He will require a mental health screening prior to his release. Due to the subject's mental health issues, his name and address are not being released at this time.
