Schools and roads were closed in Hatboro, Montgomery County, after a SWAT standoff between police and an armed suspect. Police say that suspect pointed a gun at passing cars before going into a nearby apartment for hours. He is now in custody. NBC10’s Miguel Martinez-Valle spoke to neighbors who were impacted by all of the closures in the area.
What to Know
- Police closed roads and the Hatboro-Horsham School District closed all schools Wednesday morning due to an hourslong barricade in Hatboro.
- It all began Tuesday night when a driver reported seeing a man on the sidewalk tracking drivers while pointing a gun at them, Hatboro police said.
- It took until shortly before noon Wednesday for the suspect to be taken into custody.
Police closed roads and the Hatboro-Horsham School District closed all schools Wednesday morning due to a nearly 14-hour SWAT barricade after a man pointed a gun at passing cars, Hatboro police said.
The incident finally came to an an end after 11 a.m. with the SWAT Team entering the 35-year-old man's apartment and taking him into custody, Hatboro Police Chief James Gardner said at a midday news conference.
"This was a major disruption in our community and we're aware of that, but we acted for the safety of everybody involved," Gardner said.
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Parts of Hatboro, Montgomery County, were placed under a shelter in place order before daybreak, according to the school district. Police later declared the actions were "out of an abundance of caution."
The school district explained around 7 a.m. that they "do not want students at any level walking to buses or to school." They also also said that they wouldn't be able to transport private school students Wednesday.
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"An incident within an apartment located at the intersection of York Road and Moreland Avenue" led to the shutdown, Hatboro police said in a Tweet posted by the school district.
It all began after 9:15 p.m. Tuesday when a driver called 911 to report a man on the sidewalk pointing a gun at passing cars along York Road, Gardner said during a Wednesday morning news conference.
"Tracking them as he went by with a gun," Gardner said.
A police officer was nearby and responded, Gardner said. The man then retreated to his second-floor apartment above a store and did not follow police commands, leading to the barricade situation.
SWAT team members were called in from both Montgomery and Bucks counties. Police tried negotiators, loud speakers, tear gas and a drone without getting a response overnight.
Warminster Police Chief Jim Donnelly, the tactical commander for the Central Bucks County Central Response Team said at the midday news conference that the suspect had turned both his cellphone and house phone off.
"He just wouldn't pick up the phone," Donnelly said.
They tried to negotiate with the man from the street and doorway, but to no avail, Donnelly said.
No shots were fired during the initial incident and no shots were fired at police or by officers, Gardner said.
Around 7 a.m., an armored vehicle and other police could be seen focused on the area of York and Moreland.
Then, around 7:45 a.m., police in neighboring Upper Moreland Township said in a Crimewatch post that "the incident is contained and there is no threat to the public. Please avoid the area during your morning commute."
Gardner said that the gunman -- who police didn't immediately name -- was believed to be alone in the apartment.
Police closed York Road between Montgomery Avenue and Byberry Road and Moreland Road between Penn Street and Chester Avenue.
The road closures and shelter-in-place order were lifted before noon, after police took the suspect into custody.
"We hope that it ends peacefully, shortly," Gardner said during the morning. That appeared to be the case.
Once SWAT entered the apartment, they found the suspect in a back bathroom, Donnelly said. He wasn't armed at the time.
After the arrest, police took the man to the hospital for evaluation, police said.
"We do anticipate that there will be criminal charges filed," Gardner said.
Gardner said he expects that the man will face assault and terroristic threat charges, and could face other charges depending on what investigators find during a search of the apartment.
Police didn't reveal a motive or discuss the type of firearm that the man was using during the initial incident.
Gardner wouldn't comment if the suspect was known previously to police.
He did, however, say there was never a threat against schools. Schools were closed due to road closures impacted bus routes.
School district superintendent Scott Eveslage in a letter to the community said he was thankful for the peaceful resolution of the barricade and said schools would open normally Thursday morning.
"To be clear, this situation, while dangerous, was not connected directly to the school district in any way," Eveslage wrote. "There is no truth to the rumors that the perpetrator had made any threats to our schools or students. The reason for the school closure was related first and foremost to safety."
He said the district also made the decision to close after learning from police at 6 a.m. Wednesday about the potential for busing issues.
"I understand the relative proximity to the start of the school day made the timing of this decision particularly challenging and apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused," he wrote.
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