Norwalk standoff ends with suspect found miles away

NORWALK, Conn. — A tense standoff that started at the Colonial Village housing project in Norwalk took a strange turn, ending when officers found the Ronny Mejia-Santana, 23, in a different part of town Tuesday evening.

Police said a he had barricaded himself in his apartment at the housing complex earlier Tuesday afternoon, after he was reportedly threatening people with a knife. A barricade was set up on Suncrest Road and nearby residents were evacuated at about 4 p.m.

A police negotiator could be heard speaking from a bullhorn in Spanish, demanding the suspect come out, after a team of negotiators entered the housing complex just after 4 p.m.

SWAT officers responded to the scene at about 4:30 p.m., and police began pushing bystanders further away from the scene, signaling their preparation for a forced entry.

However, the suspect was nowhere to be found when police entered the apartment. Instead, he was in a West Main Street location a few miles away, where police located him and he surrendered peacefully.

According to a release, “Ronny Mejia-Santana violated a protective order when he engaged in a domestic altercation, and later threatened other persons with a weapon. The victims were able to safely leave the area and notify Norwalk Police Officers. Officers responded to the address where the incident occurred, however Mejia had left. Officers worked swiftly and discovered Mejia at a different residence, and took him into custody without incident.”

Courtesy: The Hour – Harold F. Cobin, Leslie Lake – Updated 10:38 pm, Tuesday, October 4, 2016