Update: Suicidal man fatally shot by police, ending standoff in Greenport
Update, 7:30 p.m.: A 63-year-old man was fatally shot by police after a more than four-hour standoff in Greenport Thursday.
Det. Lt. Kevin Beyrer of the Suffolk County Police Department said police were negotiating with the man, who they believed was suicidal, for nearly four hours to attempt a peaceful resolution. Negotiators convinced the man to exit the house on Route 48 shortly after 4 p.m., but he came out waving a shotgun.
“The negotiators told the person to come out without any weapons, however he came out with a shotgun in his hand,” he said. “He waved the shotgun at officers in the armored vehicle and officers were forced to fire once at the subject.”
Police identified the man as Robert Myers of Greenport. Police said the shooting took place at 65275 Middle Road in Greenport, which is the address of the North Fork Audubon Society.
Mr. Myers was transported via a police medevac to Stony Brook University Medical Center where he was pronounced dead, Lt. Beyrer said. An emergency service officer fired the shot, striking Mr. Myers in the chest, police said.
The situation began shortly before noon when Southold police received a 911 call. A friend who was checking in on the man noticed he was looking out the second-floor window with a rifle. The friend had reason to believe, through another mutual friend, that the man was suicidal. The friend retreated to his vehicle to alert police.
Southold police responded and determined Mr. Myers had barricaded himself in the apartment. Officers quickly set up a perimeter and attempted to make contact with the man while requesting the assistance of negotiators.
“There was a negotiation going on for hours,” Lt. Beyrer said. “At that time, Suffolk police emergency services responded with armored vehicles.”
During negotiations, the man fired several rounds both inside the house and at officers on the perimeter and at the armored vehicle. As many as 10 shots were fired, most of those being inside the house, Lt. Beyrer said. Police did not return fire at that time.
Lt. Beyrer said the man made statements that the house may have been booby-trapped, which required extra time for police to clear the home. It turned out not to be true, he said.
“We are still processing the scene,” he said. “The subject made some statements that he wanted to commit suicide by having police shoot him. There might have been some illness that we’re working on verifying.”
Update, 5:15 p.m.: Southold Det. Sgt. John Sinning told reporters at the scene just after 5 p.m. that the case was going to be handled by Suffolk County police and he could not comment further. Police were planning on condensing the area blocked off to allow media closer access to the scene.
The scene remains active.
Original post: Southold Town police have closed off Route 48 in Greenport between Chapel Lane and Moores Lane while responding to a report of a man possibly barricaded in a residence with weapons.
Police responded to an area east of the Eastern Long Island Kampground around noon Thursday.
It’s unclear what started the situation or if any injuries have been reported. Police at the scene where the road is blocked did not have any information. At one point, police requested a negotiator to the scene, according to scanner reports. A dispatcher relayed to officers a report that the man had three weapons.
The scene remained active as of 5 p.m. At least two gunshots were audible to a reporter at Chapel Lane earlier in the afternoon.
A New York State Police van was seen driving on Route 48 toward the scene shortly before 1:30 p.m. A state police spokesman confirmed they were assisting Southold, but said any further information would come from Southold police.
Suffolk County police emergency service also were seen responding to the scene just past 2 p.m. An armored vehicle approached the scene just past 2:15 p.m.
Additional police units with lights on were arriving at the scene at 2:45 p.m.
A Suffolk police helicopter landed at the Polo Grounds on Moores Lane shortly after 3:30 p.m. as a precaution, officials at the scene said.
In a voicemail sent to Greenport parents, Superintendent David Gamberg said Southold police notified school officials of the situation and said business can continue as usual in the district. Mr. Gamberg said the district coordinated with Sunrise Bus Company “so that students are able to arrive home safely.”
*This post will be updated as information becomes available.
Photo caption: An armored vehicle responding to the scene in Greenport. (Credit: Kate Nalepinski)
NY | GREENPORT |**BARRICADED SUBJECT**| — | PD O/S, SPEC REQ ES UNIT, SPEC UNIT, RIFLE CAR & NEGOT. RDS CLOSED | CT032 | January 03, 2019 at 12:24PM
— East Coast 911 IA (@EastCoast911IA) January 3, 2019
NY | GREENPORT |**BARRICADED SUBJECT**| — | U/D PD RPTS SHOTS FIRED, FD & EMS STAGGING | CT032 | January 03, 2019 at 01:14PM
— East Coast 911 IA (@EastCoast911IA) January 3, 2019
