Update: Nanuet Man Dead After Seven-hour Standoff

The second hostage incident in less than 24 hours in Rockland County ended after about 7-1/2 hours with longtime resident Kevin Dowling dead of a gunshot wound to the chest.

Police said a gun was found next to him.

The incident forced Nanuet schools to go into lockdown and some residents to be evacuated.

As of 1:21 p.m., police were in the apartment of Kevin Dowling. Police gave his age as 52.

Police used a camera to try to see where in the apartment the man was but they could not see him. Officials said they were told by friends of the man that he slept with a rifle and a handgun, which is why police agencies used so much caution in trying to resolve the standoff.

Clarkstown Police Chief Peter Noonan said earlier Dowling was barricaded in his second-floor apartment at 205 Main St. They sent in pepper spray canisters and used loudspeakers in an attempt to get him to come out of the apartment.

Police moved an armored vehicle in front of the apartment building. Eight residents of the building were evacuated to the street. The deli across the street was evacuated and business owners were not allowed in their stores.

Earlier, a flash/bang device, or stun grenade, was set off to try to get Dowling's attention. The device damaged a window, police said. Reports of shots being fired were not accurate.

Police said the Dowling was distraught because he was to be evicted at 9 a.m.

The incident began at 6:23 a.m. when a friend of the man was on the telephone with him. Dowling appeared to be depressed and possibly suicidal, telling his friend he had a gun to his head. He had also been drinking.

The friend went to the apartment but could not get in. He asked a passerby to call the police.

Police hostage negotiators' last contact with the man was on the phone. They asked him to come out, and they were told he would come out when he was ready. Repeated attempts to contact him by phone have been unsuccessful.

It is believed Dowling had weapons in his apartment, but he has not threatened to injure anyone.

Middletown Road in Nanuet is closed at Prospect Street and southbound traffic is being diverted. Police have about a two-block area near the man's apartment closed down.

The incident began in the heart of the commuter hour for Nanuet. The train station is two blocks away from the scene, and police had to divert traffic which delayed commuters getting to the train station.

On the scene are about 40 police officers, as well as State Police and the Rockland County Mobile Communications Center.

Thursday, a five-hour standoff in Bardonia between a distraught 26-year-old Francis Bifulco and police ended peacefully around 9:25 p.m. He surrendered to the police and was taken to Nyack Hospital for medical and psychological evaluation.

Check back for more details on today's incident.