Barricaded situation in northwest Detroit ends peacefully

A man who barricaded himself Thursday night in a home in northwest Detroit after allegedly firing shots at his ex-girlfriend has surrendered, police said.

After several hours of negotiations and chemicals deployed, the 24-year-old left his home when authorities blared a recorded message from the man's mother asking him to cooperate, Commander Darin Szilagy told reporters about 10:30 p.m.

"We’re just very, very thankful in this holiday season we don't have anything tragic happen," he said. "The professionalism of this special response team, our hostage negotiators and all these officers out here working in the city of Detroit paid off again."

The standoff began nearly four hours earlier, after a 19-year-old woman went to the 9500 block of Coyle with her sister to confront the suspect about child care money, said Cpl. Dan Donakowski, a spokesman for the Detroit Police Department.

Following "a verbal argument that escalated," the 24-year-old pulled out a handgun and fired one shot in the air and another in the woman's direction, Szilagy told reporters. Neither woman was struck, he said.

They both fled and called police from nearby, Donakowski said.

The man refused to leave the residence he shares with his girlfriend, who was not home at the time, Szilagy said.

DPD special response and crisis negotiation teams as well as Second Precinct officers remained outside the home for hours. A medic unit also stood by, and neighbors were asked to shelter in place.

Authorities learned the man had an AR-15 rifle and briefly spoke with him on the phone, but he ignored later calls and texts, Szilagy said.

After various attempts to reach him failed, Police Chief James Craig suggested contacting the man's mother, whose recorded message blared from an armored vehicle. "Lo and behold, it worked," Szilagy said.

The 24-year-old was taken into custody without incident. Charges are pending.