Harrison Twp. man indicted in hourslong SWAT standoff after shots fired

Montgomery County Sheriff’s deputies responded around 6:35 p.m. Feb. 1 to a report of gunfire in the 5100 block of Embassy Place in the Creekside Townhomes.

When they arrived they saw Duke run into an apartment with a black firearm in his hand. He reportedly barricaded the entrances to the apartment, according to an affidavit filed in Vandalia Municipal Court.

Deputies surrounded the building and used a loudspeaker to order Duke to come out. When he did not come outside, they requested aid from other area law enforcement agencies, including SWAT and hostage negotiation teams.

“Duke would not cooperate with the hostage negotiators and a several hourslong standoff with SWAT ensued with the deployment of chemical munitions into the apartment,” an affidavit read. “When Duke finally emerged from the residence, he continued to defy commands from SWAT personnel and additional less lethal munitions were deployed to subdue Duke.”

The sheriff’s office posted at 9:51 p.m. on social media that the suspect was in custody and that people were able to return to their homes.

Duke was heavily intoxicated when he was arrested and made comments about being drunk, according to court records.

During a search of the apartment, investigators reported finding a Glock handgun in the mattress of a child’s bassinet as well as suspected crack cocaine in the apartment.

At the time of the incident Duke was free on his own recognizance in an unrelated case on charges of felonious assault and having weapons under disability, court records show.

He is held without bail in the Montgomery County Jail.