SWAT standoff ends with barricaded gunman who fired at police surrendering
CINCINNATI (WXIX) - A seven-hour SWAT standoff with a barricaded gunman who fired several shots at Cincinnati police ended peacefully with the suspect surrendering early Monday, according to the police chief.
No one was hurt, Chief Terri Theetge said in a briefing at the scene.
Paul Mitchell, 49, was taken into custody at 12:35 a.m. No charges were immediately announced.
In a briefing at the scene, Cincinnati Police Chief Terri Theetge said Paul Mitchell, 39, fired about 30 rounds at officers as they arrived. He peacefully surrendered after 7 hours due to 'phenomenal work and patience of the officers here,' chief says. No one was hurt!@FOX19 https://t.co/I8Fed1mbih — Jennifer Edwards Baker (@jbakerohio) June 5, 2023
It all started as an “unknown trouble” run to a residence in the 1200 block of Drott Avenue near Glenway Avenue at 5:26 p.m. Sunday, police said.
Mitchell was in the home with his wife when police arrived, the chief said. He refused to come out.
They considered him a barricaded suspect at that point, so SWAT was called up, the chief said.
When the SWAT officers arrived, she said Mitchell opened fire, squeezing off about 30 rounds at them.
#BREAKING: Police confirm someone fired shots at police just before it got dark. The SWAT team is out here on Glenway and Wells in East Price Hill @FOX19 pic.twitter.com/wI9QTruBQ9 — Morgan Parrish (@MorganParrishTV) June 5, 2023
SWAT negotiators stayed calm and patiently coaxed Mitchell into letting his wife walk out of the home.
They continued to patiently urge him to surrender. Shortly after midnight, those efforts paid off.
“Here we are, almost seven hours later, and due to the phenomenal work and patience of the officers here at the scene, it ended peacefully and Mr. Mitchell surrendered,” Chief Theetge said. “No injuries to any officers. No injuries to Mr. Mitchell or the person who called 911.”
After Mitchell walked out of the home and was taken into custody, the SWAT team searched his residence and cleared it of all weapons, according to the chief
“Our criminalist from our Criminal Investigation Section will be here shortly to process this as a crime scene,” she said.
This all comes at the end of a particularly violent weekend in Cincinnati.
Eight people have been shot in the city since Friday - including a 7-year-old girl as she played outside in North Avondale - and two officers also were shot at, according to police.
One was a city parking enforcement officer in West Price Hill on Friday night. The other is a Cincinnati Police officer in Westwood Sunday afternoon.
No one was hurt but the officer’s parking enforcement vehicle was struck at least three times, police say. No arrests were announced.
CPD arrested a 14-year-old male in connection with the police officer’s shooting.
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Source: FOX19
