Standoff in Mountain Brook ends peacefully

A standoff at a Mountain Brook residence in the 3600 block of Dunbarton Drive ended peacefully after more than six hours on March 30.

According to a press release from the Mountain Brook Police Department, the department received a 911 call at about 4:01 p.m. in relation to a domestic violence situation during which a verbal altercation had occurred.

"Officers responded and found that a white male subject had poured gasoline inside an occupied dwelling. Subject was holding a box of matches and threatening to set the dwelling on fire," the release said. The other occupants were able to leave the home safely. 

As officers arrived, the subject barricaded himself and refused to talk with officers but continued to threaten to set the home on fire, the release said. Additional support personnel, such as crisis negotiators, were called to respond. While negotiators made contact and "communicated for several hours," the release said, negotiations broke down and the subject refused to communicate. Continued attempts were unsuccessful, according to the release. 

The release also said the subject released his dog, a doberman pinscher, during the event, and it charged at police. "An officer discharged their duty weapon firing at the dog. The dog was not hit and did not sustain any injuries," it stated. 

Just before 10:30 p.m., with no injuries to any parties involved, the subject voluntarily surrendered and was taken into custody and then taken to a local hospital for evaluation, the release said.

The criminal investigation is ongoing pending possible future charges, according to the release, and no additional information is available at this time.