Police said the roughly seven-hour barricade ended peacefully after the man agreed to put down a handgun and leave the home.
SOUTHFIELD, MI — An 84-year-old man was taken into custody and transported to a hospital Friday night after an hours-long standoff at a Southfield home, where police said shots were fired but no one was injured.
The confrontation unfolded near Winchester Street and Lahser Road on Aug. 28 and lasted roughly seven hours. Southfield police and SWAT officers responded after concerns were raised about the man’s condition and authorities learned he had access to a handgun. He remained inside the home for hours before eventually agreeing to put the weapon down and come outside sometime after 10 p.m., according to police.
FOX 2 Detroit reported that the situation began around 3 p.m., when the man called and was described by authorities as experiencing a possible mental health crisis before hanging up. About 30 minutes later, his wife contacted police and raised similar concerns, telling officers that he was armed. Police said the man also had physical challenges and was reportedly speaking erratically and was not coherent during the incident.
The man’s wife and a caregiver were inside the home when the situation began, according to police accounts reported by FOX 2 and CBS News Detroit. Both were able to get out safely. Officers then worked to establish contact with the man while keeping the surrounding area secure. Winchester Street near Lahser Road and 11 Mile Road was blocked as police handled the barricaded situation.
Southfield Police Chief Elvin Barren told CBS News Detroit that the man had fired several shots inside the home and initially refused to come outside. Police also sent a drone into the residence during the standoff, but the man covered it with a sheet. Barren said one firearm discharged and a round struck a door, though investigators did not believe the man was trying to shoot at police.
Barren said the man’s family questioned whether he was experiencing a mental health crisis. According to the chief, relatives said they believed medication may have altered the man’s condition. Authorities had not publicly released a medical determination explaining his behavior, and the man’s name had not been released in the reports reviewed.
Police continued negotiating rather than immediately forcing an end to the standoff. Officers said the man eventually agreed to place his handgun on a bed and walk out of the home. He was taken into custody and then transported to a hospital. Officials said no injuries were reported among the man, his family members, caregiver, officers or nearby residents.
Investigators later found a shotgun on a dresser in addition to the handgun involved in the incident, according to CBS News Detroit. Barren said he was considering seeking a protective order that could prevent the firearms from being returned, citing concerns about avoiding another similar situation. No criminal charges against the man had been announced in the reports reviewed.
The peaceful resolution followed hours of police activity in the residential neighborhood. Authorities had not announced further enforcement action or provided an update on the man’s medical condition as of Sunday. Any decision involving the firearms or additional legal proceedings had also not been publicly confirmed.
Author note: Last updated August 30, 2026.