CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – (CLARKSVILLENOW) A standoff with an armed man barricaded in a home on Commerce Street in Clarksville ended peacefully early Tuesday.
The 17-hour standoff began around 11 a.m. Monday in response to an E911 call about an individual acting in an unusual manner.
A Clarksville Police tactical team entered the house shortly after 4 a.m. and placed the suspect, identified as 50-year-old Darren Vance, in custody on charges of reckless endangerment. Vance is from Louisville, Ky.
Negotiators with the CPD Emergency Services Unit talked to Vance by telephone for much of the afternoon and night, attempting to reach a nonviolent conclusion. When Vance, who appeared to be angry at his family, said he is a religious man, Negotiator Christy Bing spoke with him for hours, often reading numerous passages from the Bible to calm the man and keep him engaged.
When Vance was taken into custody, police discovered that he had a self-inflicted gunshot wound in his abdomen.
Officers obtained an arrest warrant Monday afternoon, a few hours into the incident. No rounds were fired by police at any time during the standoff other than tear gas rounds.
Officers immediately worked with local emergency medical services to rush Vance to Vanderbilt Hospital by Life-Flight helicopter. He is currently listed in stable condition and a mental health evaluation has been requested.
Reports from residents in the area of additional gunfire were unfounded. According to police, several 40mm tear gas rounds were deployed into the residence by the CPD Emergency Services Unit.
The only firearm gunshot was fired by the suspect when he discharged one round into the ground with an AK47 style rifle, possibly by accident.
Officers found 267 rounds of 7.62x39mm rifle ammunition, 117 rounds of 9mm ammunition, and 14 rounds of .12 gauge shotgun ammunition inside the residence. There were three thirty-round rifle magazines and one high-capacity drum magazine.
Courtesy: CPD
The scene was secured and surrounding streets have reopened Tuesday.
“The Clarksville Police Department, through its officers, negotiators, and supervisors on the scene exhausted every reasonable measure to bring this incident to a peaceful resolution,” Chief Al Ansley said. “I am extremely proud of the professional and ethical work of every officer out here, from the tactical team and negotiators to our patrol officers and supervisors. Many of them worked without relief for 17 straight hours to safeguard the community and resolve this incident without deadly force.”