PARMA HEIGHTS, Ohio — A man is in custody after a standoff involving Parma Heights Police that lasted about six hours on Tuesday afternoon.
Around 9:25 a.m., officers responded to the 9800 block of West Ridgewood Drive after a caller witnessed a man assaulting a woman, police said.
Upon arrival, officers located the victim and learned that an 18-month-old child was inside the residence with the alleged suspect, police said.
The man barricaded himself in the home and refused to comply with officers' orders, police said. The initial investigation revealed that he was possibly armed with a firearm.
The Southwest Enforcement Bureau SWAT Team was activated, and its negotiators communicated with the man, who still refused to comply and held the child hostage, police said.
Around 3 p.m., officers were able to take the man into custody and rescue the child, who was turned over to a parent, police said.
The man was charged with one count of domestic violence and one count of disrupting public service, police said. A grand jury may add additional charges at a later time.
During the standoff, West Ridgewood Drive near Denison Boulevard was blocked but has since been reopened.
Additionally, the Parma City School District placed a nearby school on a precautionary soft lockdown after police sent an alert to area residents about the standoff. Once officers spoke with school staff, the lockdown was lifted.
The man is expected to be arraigned in Parma Municipal Court on Wednesday.
