FORT WAYNE, Ind. (Indiana’s NewsCenter) – On Monday morning, a Fort Wayne man barricaded himself inside of his former home on East Pettit Avenue, resulting in a nearly three hour standoff with police.
Police say 33-year-old Michael Edmondson of Fort Wayne used to live at the home along the 500 block of East Pettit Avenue between Lafayette and Warsaw Streets, but had been evicted months ago.
Monday morning Edmondson went to his former home twice, reportedly seeking to get back some of his belongings. The second time, just after 9:00 a.m., police say Edmondson went inside of the home.
Police say two teenagers were inside, but they were able to safely run outside. They did not know who Edmondson was, police say.
For the next few hours, police say Edmondson remained locked inside the home and refused to communicate with law enforcement. That’s when the Emergency Services and Crisis Response Teams were called in with an armored tank.
Police say the tank pulled in front of the house in an effort to establish communication, but it wasn’t long before Edmondson surrendered. Indiana’s NewsCenter’s cameras were rolling as Edmondson came outside with his hands high in the air. Police say he was cooperative with authorities.
Edmondson is being charged with Residential Entry, a class D felony. In Indiana, he could serve between six months and three years in prison and be fined up to $10,000.
