PORTAGE, Ind. (WBBM Newsradio) – A California man is facing felony charges after police say he threatened a relative with a shotgun during a standoff Sunday afternoon in Northwest Indiana.
Portage police were called around 2:15 p.m. to the 1300 block of Camelot Manor after receiving reports of an intoxicated man armed with a shotgun and making threats to harm others.
Police identified the man as 29-year-old Benjamin Allison, who had been staying temporarily with a relative. Authorities said Allison had been asked to leave the home the day before but refused. When the homeowner and his wife returned Sunday and again demanded he leave, police said Allison became involved in a verbal dispute and pointed a shotgun at the homeowner.
The homeowner and his wife were able to flee the house without injury and called police.
Officers attempted to contact Allison by phone and over a patrol car’s public address system, but he refused to respond, police said. Nearby residents were notified and asked to evacuate as a precaution.
After about 30 minutes with no response, police activated crisis negotiators and a SWAT team. Negotiators were able to reach Allison by phone, but he continued to refuse to surrender, authorities said.
After roughly an hour of negotiations, SWAT officers deployed chemical agents into the home. Police said Allison exited the residence about five minutes later and was taken into custody without further incident. A loaded 12-gauge shotgun was recovered inside the home.
Allison was evaluated by medical personnel at the scene and then transported to the Porter County Jail. He was charged with intimidation with a deadly weapon, a Level 5 felony, and pointing a loaded firearm at a person, a Level 6 felony.