Man in custody after six-hour standoff prompts shelter-in-place in eastern Colorado Springs

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – Police say a shelter-in-place order was lifted overnight after a six-hour barricade situation in an east Colorado Springs neighborhood ended with a suspect in custody.

According to the Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD), at around 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 25, officers were dispatched to the 100 block of Audubon Drive on a report of a disturbance involving a man armed with a baseball bat.

When officers arrived, they learned the suspect had retreated into his home. They attempted to make contact with the man, identified as 43-year-old Benjamin Bryant, but he allegedly refused to exit the home and threatened to shoot the officers, CSPD said.

After further attempts at getting Bryant to exit the home were unsuccessful, members of CSPD’s Tactical Enforcement Unit were called to the scene to assist. The department also obtained a search warrant for the house.

At 8:11 p.m., CSPD issued a shelter-in-place order for residents surrounding the 100 block of Audubon Drive, near South Academy Boulevard and Airport Road. Neighbors were instructed to lock their doors and windows and stay inside as police operations continued.

The department said that following approximately six hours of negotiations, Bryant finally exited the home and was taken into custody without further incident.

Bryant was arrested on a felony menacing charge stemming from the incident. CSPD said he was also wanted on an outstanding arrest warrant related to a prior disturbance involving a neighbor.

The shelter-in-place order was lifted at 1:55 a.m., shortly after Bryant was taken into custody.

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