Armed Man In Mental Health Crisis Taken Into Custody After 17-Hour Standoff In Mercer Co.

MERCER COUNTY, NJ — An armed man barricaded inside a home surrendered peacefully Thursday morning after a roughly 17-hour standoff that prompted evacuations, road closures, and a large-scale police response involving multiple agencies, Hamilton Police said.

Officers from the Hamilton Police Division were called to the 2500 block of Nottingham Way around 5:02 p.m. Wednesday for a welfare check involving an individual armed with a rifle. On arrival, officers determined the situation required additional resources and immediately called for backup.

The Hamilton Police Division SWAT Team and Crisis Negotiators responded to the scene, where negotiators spent hours communicating with the man, police said.

During those communications, police determined the man was experiencing a mental health crisis.

As a precaution, nearby residents were evacuated and Nottingham Way was closed to traffic for the duration of the incident to protect the public and allow emergency personnel to operate safely.

The Mercer County Prosecutor's Office and the Mercer County Sheriff's Tactical Response Team also responded, working in close coordination with Hamilton police. The man was taken into custody around 11:04 a.m. Thursday and was taken to a local hospital for evaluation.

No injuries were reported to the man, responding officers, or any other personnel.

Hamilton police thanked several agencies for their assistance, including the New Jersey State Police, Mercer County Prosecutor's Office, Mercer County Sheriff's Department, Hopewell Police Department, Trenton Police Department, Hamilton Fire Department, PSE&G, New Jersey DOT, and Robert Wood Johnson EMS.

Anyone with information related to the incident is asked to contact the Hamilton Police Division at 609-581-4000.

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