9-hour SWAT-involved standoff with teenager ends peacefully

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ST. LOUIS (KMOX) updated at 1:50 p.m. - St. Louis Police negotiators and SWAT have the 16-year-old suspect in custody, after he was inside a home in north St. Louis neighborhood of Penrose for more than eight hours, Tuesday. 

@SLMPD reports standoff 4800 Bessie has ended with suspect in custody, not injured. A P.O suffered minor wrist injury. No other info released @kmoxnews

— Maria Keena (@kmoxmaria) July 30, 2019

It started around 4 a.m., when police received a call for a burglar in the building in the 4800 block of Bessie Avenue. Smoke and percussion grenades are being shot into the home, hoping to peacefully get the young man to come out.  

The boy's aunt and grandmother are on the scene and have been sitting about a block from the home, pleading with police to could talk to him to get him to come out. They were told by police that their young relative may not even be in the house anymore and possibly snuck out in the early morning.

There have been no reports of gunshots on scene, according to KMOX's Kevin Killeen. 

Police say everyone, except the suspect, was evacuated from the home. Authorities believe this was not random, but domestic in nature. 

Police have been asking for media not to share photos or video of the scene, for the protection of all those involved. 

© 2019 KMOX (Entercom). All rights reservedPolice SWAT vehicle is in front of the home.