Woman Barricaded Herself Inside Home For Over 2 Hours, Andover Police Say

ANDOVER, MA — A SWAT team entered an apartment after police negotiated with a woman who was barricaded inside for over two hours, police said.

Police responded Monday to a report of a person who had barricaded herself inside a home at the Coachman's Ridge apartment complex at 172 Haverhill St.

The call came from a man who reported that his live-in girlfriend was "actively suffering from a mental health crisis," police said. She was at their shared apartment apartment and there were guns in the home.

A crisis negotiator talked to the woman on the phone in an effort to "persuade her to exit the apartment in order to provide her with mental health services," according to police.

The woman would not leave the apartment after two hours of direct communication.

The SWAT team made a forced entry into the apartment at about 5:10 p.m. and found the woman. The move was made "for her own safety, as well as the safety of officers and area residents," police said.

She was then taken to a local hospital for treatment. Police did not say if any charges will be filed.

No injuries were reported.

Haverhill Street was closed from High Street to the North Andover town line Monday evening due to police activity. The road reopened at 5:35 p.m.

Police thanked the Northeastern Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council SWAT Team, state police, and Andover Fire Rescue for their assistance on the call.

"We would also like to thank the public, particularly the other residents of the apartment complex, for their patience and understanding as first responders worked to bring about a safe resolution to the incident," police wrote.