UPDATED: Stand-off ends in death of subject

A stand-off at Tim Street on Wilson Avenue in Russellville has ended in the death of the 28-year-old subject.

According to Police Chief Chris Hargett, what started out as an emergency call about a theft became a domestic incident before dissolving into a standoff. The person in question, a 28-year-old male,  refused to have any dialogue with the officers or Florence SWAT team and remained barricaded, armed, in a house that belongs to his grandfather until late in the afternoon.

Hargett although negotiators attempted to converse with the suspect, he would not engage.

“Some other tactics were used to try to get some motion or some type of communication started,” Hargett said. SWAT team members could be seen smashing in windows and changing position around the home.

“Shortly after that, officers noticed smoke coming out of the eaves of the house,” Hargett said. “Within minutes flames were visible in the house.”

As Russellville Fire Department began to battle the flames, “the SWAT guys went in with them because at that time we still didn’t know which room the suspect was in. It was determined a little bit later – they did find the suspect in a room, and he was deceased.”

Hargett said the wound appeared to be self-inflicted. He would not comment on the type of wound; however, two loud pops could be heard shortly before 5 p.m. that could have been gunshots. Hargett said no officers on the scene discharged their weapons in the course of the stand-off.

At 7 p.m. Thursday, RFD, RPD, Florence SWAT and other authorities were still active on the scene.