A standoff following a robbery of a Cuyahoga Falls business ended Thursday night when the suspect attempted to take his own life.
Falls Police Chief Tom Pozza said a man, whose identity was not released, robbed the Pulp Smoothie Shop at 1210 Buchholzer Blvd. around 6 p.m. A worker chased the man, who witnesses say had a weapon, to a nearby apartment complex.
Pozza said when officers arrived, the man refused to come out of his Howe Avenue apartment.
The man’s wife was able to leave the apartment, Pozza said, telling officers that her husband did not own a gun, but did have a BB gun.
A negotiator was brought in, but Pozza said the man refused to answer the phone.
Nearby residents were evacuated as the Metro SWAT team was called in. Around 10 p.m., officers fired tear gas into the apartment in an attempt to get the man to surrender.
Pozza said the man did exit his apartment, but immediately went back inside. When he exited the apartment a second time, he was covered in self-inflicted wounds.
“He was bleeding pretty good,” the chief said.
The man was taken into custody and transported to an undisclosed hospital for treatment of what appeared to be non-life-threatening wounds.
The man faces numerous felony charges related to the robbery and subsequent standoff with police.
“We were able to end this without firing a shot. I would call that successful,” said Falls Police Sgt. Mark Hawley.