MELVILLE — A tense standoff in Melville Tuesday afternoon ended with one man in custody after authorities say he barricaded himself inside an abandoned trailer on Forest Street.
The incident unfolded near Forest and Walnut streets, where police, sheriff’s deputies, and a SWAT team surrounded the trailer for several hours.
According to the St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s Office, the situation began early Tuesday morning when a teenage girl called 911 to report that a man had broken into her family’s home.
Deputies identified the suspect as 26-year-old Joseph Harrington Jr.
Investigators say Harrington stole a firearm from the home, then ran across the street to an abandoned trailer — where he barricaded himself and fired several shots into the roof.
“We got several phone calls from people saying they saw him running through the neighborhood with no clothes on — so evidently, he was on something,” Phillip Lucas, Melville Police Chief said.
Crisis negotiators attempted to convince Harrington to surrender, but when he refused, deputies used pepper spray to safely bring him out. He was taken into custody without injuries.
Authorities say this wasn’t Harrington’s first encounter with law enforcement. He was already wanted for reportedly stealing a city truck two months ago.
“He’s been going in and out of places trying to get help, so we know he needs some kind of treatment for the condition he’s in,” said Lucas. Harrington’s grandmother, Cindy Harrington, was at the scene and expressed relief that no one was harmed.
“I’m just very glad they got him. He wasn’t hurt, and no one else was hurt either,” she said.
Harrington has been transported to a local hospital for evaluation and will later be booked on multiple charges.
Orignal Story:
UPDATE: Deputies tell KATC that the suspect in the Melville standoff is now in custody.
Earlier today we reported that multiple law enforcement agents were on the scene of a standoff on Forrest Street in Melville.
Here's a release from the Sheriff:
Sheriff Bobby Guidroz of the St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s Office is confirming that the St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s Office SWAT are currently working a barricaded suspect in the town of Melville. Local police were investigating an incident involving the suspect. The suspect then ran, stole a firearm, and allegedly shot it from within a mobile home on Forrest Street near the Walnut Street intersection. Intelligence assets (drone) are on scene, as are Crisis Negotiators and family members, to attempt to get the suspect to surrender himself. No other details are being released as this is an ongoing investigation.
KATC has a crew on location and will have more information once it becomes available.
