A man has been arrested after a standoff with police lasting hours which started after the suspect tried to enter a Cohasset, Massachusetts, police station using a chainsaw.
The man tried to cut his way into the station southeast of Boston, before fleeing the area and shutting himself in his home where he held his two young children close to a window as he law enforcement tried to communicate with him.
Police eventually entered the residence and detained the man.
The arraignment of Brien Buckley, 35, is set to take place in Quincy District Court on Monday.
He faces a litany of charges, including as assault by means of a dangerous weapon with a chainsaw, damage to property, child endangerment, resisting arrest, driving to endanger, unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, disorderly conduct, disturbing the peace, and wanton destruction of a tree, according to Boston 25 News.
Cohasset Police Chief William Quigley said that officers broke into the home and used a stun gun to remove Mr Buckley from his son and daughter, who are both under the age of five.
The chief added that Mr Buckley is known to the local police and that he tried to get into the police station lobby by cutting through a security door after arriving by driving his truck onto the station lawn.
A desk attendant called on officers for aid after barricading herself. Mr Buckely is then reported to have fled back to his home.
The chief said that Mr Buckley “went in and basically terrorized the civilian desk attendant who was behind the security door and security glass, but he did damage to the lobby with the chainsaw and then fled the police station”.
Mr Buckley was followed home by police, where a long standoff took place. The chief said they spoke to him for more than two hours but were unable to wait longer.
“We hadn’t seen or heard from the kids in over two hours ... and at that point, the decision was made that we have to go in,” Chief Quigley said, according to Boston 25 News. “We waited for an opportunity where he was far enough from the kids where we could enter the home and take him into custody.”
Investigators said that Mr Buckley held his children near the window at one point during the standoff.
Chief Quigley told the local TV station that Mr Buckley had called the police department earlier that same day, asking if officers could help babysit his kids.
When he was rejected, he came to the department several hours later with the chainsaw, the chief said.
Cohasset Police told residents in the area surrounding the home to shelter in place at around 3.40pm while they attempted to negotiate with the suspect.
Police have said that the children are safe and have been placed with family members.
Paul Brady, a neighbour, told Boston 25 News that he was “extremely concerned” for the safety of the children.
“I’ve seen them running around the neighbourhood and playing nice, beautiful little children,” he said. “It’s a quiet neighbourhood and things like this just don’t happen. It is a really odd set of circumstances right now.”
Mr Buckley was taken to a hospital to have his mental health evaluated before he was taken to police headquarters.
The investigation is ongoing.
