UPDATED: Man involved in standoff in Jamestown arrested, child safe
Jun. 18—JAMESTOWN — An hours-long standoff on Wednesday, June 18, at Western Park Village in Jamestown ended after the James Valley Special Operations Team successfully entered the residence, removed a 2-year-old child and arrested a 30-year-old man, according to Maj. Justin Blinsky, assistant chief of police for the city of Jamestown.
Jacob Lee Schmitt, of Jamestown, was arrested on suspicion of terrorizing. Schmitt is in the Stutsman County Correctional Center, where he is awaiting formal charges.
The incident is under investigation, and additional charges are possible, Blinsky said.
The Jamestown Police Department was dispatched to a residence in Western Park Village at about 2 a.m. Wednesday, on a report that a female resident wasn't feeling safe in her home, Blinsky said. He said the woman indicated a man, identified as Schmitt, was inside the residence using drugs and yelling at her.
After further investigation, the woman reported that Schmitt had threatened to "kill her," Blinsky said. The woman also told police that Schmitt refused to leave the residence with multiple firearms that the man had access to, he said.
Jamestown police officers tried to make contact with Schmitt but he refused to speak with law enforcement and retreated further inside the residence, barricading himself in a back room, Blinsky said.
Blinsky said four occupants were evacuated from the home but Schmitt took a 2-year-old child with him to the back room.
The James Valley Special Operations Team was activated at 2:50 a.m. Wednesday to help minimize safety risks, he said. The Jamestown Police Department asked residents of Western Park Village to shelter in place, which was lifted after Schmitt was arrested.
Blinksky said police were able to communicate with Schmitt while he was inside the residence, but he refused to comply with police requests to come outside or to assist the child in leaving the residence.
At about 12:45 p.m., the James Valley Special Operations Team entered the home, removed the child and took Schmitt into custody. The Stutsman County Sheriff's Office, North Dakota Highway Patrol, Jamestown Area Ambulance, Stutsman County Emergency Management and the Jamestown Street Department also assisted at the scene.
"We are relieved to hear that the police have confirmed that the child involved is safe, and the individual of concern is now in police custody," said Kathy Grosz, vice president of property management for New Horizon Property Management, which manages Western Park Village.
Schmitt was previously denied residency in Western Park Village, Grosz told The Jamestown Sun in an email.
"New Horizon remains firmly committed to enforcing our screening procedures to support the safety and security of all residents within our communities," she said, referring to the properties New Horizon manages. "We are thankful this incident ended without physical harm and extend our deep appreciation to law enforcement and emergency personnel for their swift and professional response. We will continue to work closely with authorities as needed and remain focused on the well-being of our communities."
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