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A more than 30-hour-long standoff with police outside a Detroit home ended Wednesday morning when the suspect died inside by a self-inflicted gunshot wound, just hours after one hostage was released and a second escaped, according to law enforcement.
The suspect, whose name has not been released and was only identified by police as a 38-year-old White man, became agitated and stopped communicating with negotiators, a Detroit Police assistant chief told reporters at a nearby street corner around 10 a.m. Wednesday. Police then approached the home and spotted a man through the window lying on the ground in the living room.
They deployed a flashbang to see if he was sleeping before then entering the home to determine the man had died by a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
SUSPECT IN TRIPLE HOMICIDE HOLDS HOSTAGES AFTER FIRING AT POLICE, PROMPTING ONGOING STANDOFF
During his conversations with hostage negotiators, the suspect admitted to killing three people in a triple homicide dating back to earlier this year, the assistant chief said, adding that police believe the man was coming off his high on an unknown narcotic when he stopped communicating with them. He also allegedly made statements about not wanting to spend the rest of his life in prison.
A male hostage managed to escape from the home at the 15000 block of Iliad Road by running out of the front door when the gunman fell asleep, Detroit Police Capt. Kurt Worboys told reporters around 6:15 a.m. He was briefly placed in handcuffs until police could determine his relationship to the suspect and whether or not he was armed. The assistant chief confirmed in the 10 a.m. update that the man was no longer in handcuffs and was not taken into custody.
The hostage was examined by EMS, who determined that though he was very emotional he had not been injured, Worboys said earlier Wednesday, before directing his message toward the shooter who might have been watching.
“We want him to know that we are going to wait for him. We want him to come out peacefully. We’re not looking to hurt him,” Worboys said. “If he’s watching TV -- today I think our negotiators have asked him to turn the TV on -- please put the weapons down. Come out with your hands up. And we will take care of you.”
“We don’t want to see anybody get hurt. That’s our message to him. We appreciate that both our hostages are safe, healthy,” he added.
The hourslong standoff began early Tuesday when Redford Police tried to initiate a traffic stop around 2:30 a.m. The driver failed to pull over and instead drove to the home at the 15000 block of Iliad Road. He then got out of his car, leaving the vehicle running, and went on the front porch before firing one shot at officers getting out of their cruiser, Detroit Police Chief James Craig said at a press conference Tuesday afternoon. The suspect broke into the home, and officers called for backup.
Redford and Detroit police responded to the scene. Negotiators arrived at the home and early on formed an opinion that the suspect was under the influence of an unknown narcotic and possibly alcohol, Craig said. The gunman also acknowledged he was a suspect in a triple homicide dating back to June. His relationship with the two hostages remained unclear.
The suspect threatened to kill the two hostages and himself and harm police officers if they entered the home. The first hostage, a woman, was released from the home around 3 p.m. Tuesday.
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Police said the suspect was a member of a local motorcycle gang and through his conversations with negotiators also acknowledged that he suffers from mental illness and had not been taking his medication.
Fox News' Bradford Betz contributed to this report.
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