Executive Summary
- A 39-year-old man was arrested in Portage after a three-hour standoff initiated by a domestic battery report.
- Police recovered a shotgun, sword, and multiple knives from the residence after the suspect threatened to blow up the house.
- SWAT teams utilized chemical agents and non-lethal projectiles to incapacitate the suspect without lethal force.
- The suspect is held at Porter County Jail pending formal felony charges.
A 39-year-old man faces multiple pending felony charges after barricading himself inside a residence in Portage, Indiana, for three hours on Saturday, prompting a significant response from tactical law enforcement units. According to the Portage Police Department, the standoff concluded with the suspect’s arrest after officers deployed chemical agents and non-lethal impact projectiles.
Officers were initially dispatched to the 3000 block of Dutch Mill Street at approximately 9:40 a.m. following a report of a domestic disturbance. A female relative of the suspect told investigators that the man had arrived at her home exhibiting erratic behavior before destroying her cellphone and battering her face and head with his fists. The victim managed to escape the residence and informed responding officers that the suspect was armed and had threatened to shoot anyone who attempted to enter.
Patrol officers observed the suspect in a second-floor bay window positioning a shotgun and ammunition along the ledge. Police reports indicate the man shouted threats at law enforcement, stating his intention to fill the house with gas and detonate it. In response, the Portage Police Department activated its Crisis Negotiation and SWAT teams, establishing a wide perimeter around the property.
Attempts to communicate with the barricaded subject were largely unsuccessful. Police stated that the man either ignored phone calls or responded with nonsensical statements and profanity. During the standoff, the suspect was observed waving a sword and a knife from the window while screaming at officers, refusing repeated commands to surrender.
The standoff escalated when SWAT team members deployed chemical agents into the residence. The suspect attempted to exit through a lower-floor window but retreated when officers approached. Subsequently, tactical teams breached the front door to confront the individual. When the suspect refused to drop a large knife sheathed at his hip, a SWAT officer deployed a non-lethal impact projectile, incapacitating him sufficiently to effect an arrest.
Following the arrest, investigators recovered a 12-gauge shotgun, a sword, five large knives, and ammunition stored in various locations on the top floor of the home. The suspect was transported to the Porter County Jail.
Investigative Outlook and Legal Proceedings
This incident underscores the complex tactical challenges law enforcement faces when domestic disturbances evolve into barricaded gunman situations, particularly those involving potential mental health crises. The successful deployment of non-lethal measures by the SWAT team prevented loss of life despite the presence of high-lethality weapons and explicit threats of violence. The investigation is now transitioning to the Porter County Prosecutor’s Office for the determination of formal charges. It is important to note that all individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
