Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office Maj. Jeremy Roy described it as a “high-risk” search warrant due to the backgrounds of some of the subjects and the possibility of weapons being inside the residence.
When crews arrived on scene they started with announcements over the PA for everybody to exit the house.
Six people — four women and two men — came out immediately and were taken into custody without incident, Roy said.
“A last male suspect stayed inside the house and refused to come out,” he added. “Our SWAT team breached the front door and gave more announcements.”
Crews used gas munitions to get the last man into custody.
SWAT then performed an initial search before preparing for a methodical, more in-depth secondary search to be sure the house was safe for investigators.
Other people may be involved, Roy said. Investigators will interview the seven taken into custody before determining the next steps.
Roy said assessments are completed before every search warrant is served to consider the building, location and people involved.
He explained investigators want to make things as safe as possible for crews on the scene as well as civilians in the area, especially if people with a violent history are involved.
The investigation Friday stemmed from complaints from people in the community.
“That’s the one thing we always try to push. If you see something say something,” Roy said. “In this case, these folks know the neighborhood better than we do coming through every 15 minutes or hour. When they see something suspicious we’re asking them to call. They can remain anonymous.”
Investigators had been surveilling the house prior to Friday and knew there were a lot of people coming in and out, Roy explained. Some of the subjects involved are known to law enforcement.
Roy also noted the importance of multi-jurisdiction task forces and teams, saying it isn’t uncommon for an incident that starts in one community to roll over into another.
About the Author