Minster standoff ends peacefully

MINSTER - A nearly four-hour standoff and negotiations with a reportedly suicidal 38-year-old man ended with a surrender and a trip to a hospital.

Officials Tuesday afternoon were able to convince the man to leave the home on state Route 119 east of Minster, Auglaize County Sheriff Al Solomon said.

A handgun, knives and several items made to resemble explosives reportedly were found. However, no explosives were found at the property, Solomon said in an update this morning.

The sheriff's office received a call of a male with a handgun threatening suicide about 12:30 p.m., according to a news release.

Officials reportedly learned at the scene that a juvenile boy also was at the residence. Deputies were able to remove him to safety. As officials arrived, the man reportedly put the handgun to his own chin while the juvenile was still inside the home.

The Auglaize County Special Response Team was dispatched with negotiators to facilitate communications between officials and the man, who was still in the residence.

During negotiations, officials learned explosive devices may have been in the residence. Shelby County's special response team and the Allen County Sheriff's Office Bomb Squad were called to the scene.

Negotiators were able to convince the man to surrender. He was taken to a hospital for treatment by the Minster Area Life Squad.

Officials had closed state Route 119 between the intersections of East Shelby Road and Paris Street in Minster. State Route 363 at the intersection of state Route 119 also was blocked off.

Two bomb squad vehicles and a trailer arrived on scene with a sheriff's deputy escort westbound on state Route 119 about 4 p.m.

Westbound traffic on state Route 119 was diverted by an Auglaize County Sheriff's deputy onto East Shelby Road to continue west. Eastbound traffic on state Route 119 was diverted by a Minster public works employee and later a Minster police officer onto Paris Street to continue east.

Drivers crept slowly as they turned to examine the cluster of emergency vehicles parked farther down the road. Some drivers attempted to pass the roadblocks on state routes 119 and 363 but were told to turn around by officials or did so on their own.

Special response team members and the Allen County bomb squad were reportedly still on scene at 6:30 p.m., ensuring the property had no explosives.

State Route 119 was reopened by 8:30 p.m. with the road closed signs pushed to the side of the roadway.

The Minster, New Bremen and St. Marys police departments, Shelby County and Allen County sheriffs' offices, Ohio State Highway Patrol, Auglaize County Emergency Management Agency, Minster Area Life Squad and Minster Fire Department assisted with the incident.

"We have great employees as do the other agencies, and all did a great job with a tough situation," Solomon said. "We train and sometimes question the amount of training, but the result here is the benefit of great people and proper training."

Solomon did not release the man's name or the address of the incident. An investigation continues.

Solomon did not respond to requests for more information as of press time this morning.