Murder Threat Prompts Cape Cod SWAT Standoff

EASTHAM, MA — Police and SWAT Team members ended an hours-long standoff that started on Monday morning without incident on Cape Cod, local police said.

At about 9:30 a.m. on Memorial Day, Eastham police received a report that Ralph Gilmore was present at a Massasoit Road home that, due to a current protective order, he wasn't allowed at. Additionally, police said, the report stated that Gilmore threatened "to kill one of the individuals who was at this residence."

Police arrived at the scene and were told that Gilmore was in one of the home's bedrooms. His past influenced their next course of action, officials said.

"Due to past interactions with Mr. Gilmore, including violent encounters with the police, the decision was made to set up perimeter surveillance and request more officers to the scene to assist," officials said.

Two Wellfleet officers arrived to the scene to assist, and police tried to contact Gilmore by cell phone and via their police cruiser's public address system to no avail. Due to a lack of response, officials decided to activate the Cape Cod Regional Law Enforcement SWAT Team and consider this a barricaded suspect situation.

SWAT members arrived around noon and officials continued making attempts to contact Gilmore, again with no success, police said.

After obtaining an arrest warrant, officials eventually entered the home and didn't find Gilmore on the main floor or in the basement. They also continued to call for him to surrender, police said.

Officials eventually deployed a police K-9 to the home's attic, where he was located and bitten by the dog, police said.

He was arrested at 2:45 p.m. and removed from the home to be treated for his injuries.

• Chapter 209A Section, Section 7, Violation of an Abuse Prevention Order
• Chapter 275, Section 2, Threats to Commit a Crime (Murder)

He was denied bail and was held at the Eastham Police Department pending arraignment on Tuesday morning.