TOWN OF TONAWANDA, N.Y. -- A 22-year-old Iraq war veteran was arrested Sunday after a police SWAT team was called to his mother's house in the Town of Tonawanda to handle a domestic problem.
"Apparently he had been out with some friends and there was some sort of incident that set him off," Town of Tonawanda Police Lt. Nick Bado said.
The man, whose name was not released by police, had come home intoxicated, according to police reports. A SWAT team was summoned in part because of the presence of firearms in the home, though the man did not brandish a weapon, nor did he take any hostages as was originally feared.
Instead, Bado said the intoxicated man thrashed about the home for a time, causing damage to the property and injuring himself slightly in the process.
"There were guns in the home but he didn't ever use them," Bado said.
The presence of guns, however, helped justify the use of tactical police to set up a perimeter around the home at 138 Findlay Ave.
Police were called around 5:45 a.m. and succeeded in removing the man from the home some five hours later around 10:45 p.m.
Neighbors were told to stay inside while negotiators worked to make contact with the man, who did not harm anyone, according to police. Bado said the man's girlfriend was called to help calm him down, somewhat unsuccessfully.
He was charged with fourth-degree criminal mischief and was taken to ECMC for a mental evaluation.
Bado said the man, who was home from active duty in Iraq, may be redeployed to Afghanistan. His mother told police she believes he may suffer from post traumatic stress disorder, he said.
"Considering the weapons in the home and his agitated state, our guys set up a perimeter around the house and let the SWAT team go in," Bado said.
No injuries were reported.
Copyright 2011 - Tonawanda News, North Tonawanda, N.Y.
McClatchy-Tribune News Service
