GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A man is in police custody after breaking into a home Sunday morning on the northeast side of Grand Rapids and holding four people at gunpoint.
It led to a 12 hour standoff with Grand Rapids police and ended just before 6 p.m. when the suspect peacefully surrendered to police.
The incident happened in the 200 block of Barnett St. Police say it started around 5:30 a.m.
Police fired what appeared to look like multiple rounds of tear gas into the home before the suspect turned himself in.
He has not yet been identified by police, however neighbors identified the man as Lashawn Covington. Police could be heard addressing "Lashawn" during their negotiations over the loudspeaker.
According to police, the suspect broke into a home and was looking for someone who was not there. Police say he had a handgun and then held the four people inside the home at gunpoint.
However, they were let go, uninjured, a few hours into the standoff according to police.
Police believe the suspect is related to at least one of the people inside the home.
Dozens of police cars and armored trucks surrounded the home and police tape blocked off Leonard Street between Lafayette and Clancy Avenue.
Police describe the suspect as agitated and upset in the conversations they had with them.
A person who lives on the street told FOX17 neighbors were asked to leave or shelter in their homes.
Roughly a dozen people watched everything unfold from across the street at Mary Waters Park.
Brent Smith and his fiancee, Yvonne Rambo, say the standoff surprised them.
"First time we've both seen something like this," said Smith. "The stay-at-home order just got uplifted, so you have more people that's just mingling around the neighborhood, getting fresh air, and trying to enjoy themselves. By him surrendering, peacefully like that, that's good."
"The cops weren't risking their lives by going in and having to bring him out," said Rambo.
