CHESTERTOWN — A standoff lasting about eight hours between an armed man and police was resolved peacefully Friday afternoon with no injuries, according to Chestertown Police Chief Ronald Dixon.
Aron Ross Gould, 55, of the 100-block of Flatland Road came out of the house and surrendered without incident at about 1:30 p.m. He was taken into custody and then transported to the University of Maryland Shore Medical Center at Chestertown, where he underwent a mental health evaluation.
Gould is currently being held without bond in the Kent County Detention Center on charges that include reckless endangerment, Police Chief Dixon told The Evening Enterprise. A bail review for Gould is scheduled for Monday in the District Court for Kent County.
Several long guns and a handgun were taken from the residence as the result of an Extreme Risk Protective Order that was served, according to Dixon.
The Chestertown Police Department and the Kent County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched at about 5:45 a.m. Friday, March 28 for a report of shots fired in the 100-block of Flatland Road. Several neighbors called 9-1-1, according to Dixon.
Upon arrival, police determined that a man inside the residence was experiencing a mental health crisis, according to a news release from the CPD.
The man, subsequently identified as Gould, was the only person in the house, Dixon said.
Gould fired shots “to the outside from the front door,” Dixon told The Evening Enterprise.
No shots were fired once law enforcement was on the scene, according to the police chief.
Neighbors in the immediate area were notified by law enforcement and the Kent County Office of Emergency Services’ communications division using the Everbridge alert system. Out of an abundance of caution, Flatland Road was closed to traffic, which impacted transportation to area schools.
Dixon said the surrounding neighborhoods were not on lockdown, but access in and out of Hilltop Drive and Edge of Town Drive was limited.
Contact was made with Gould via telephone. Initial attempts to have him come out of the residence peacefully were unsuccessful.
A negotiator with the Kent County Sheriff’s Office established another line of communication, and the Maryland State Police provided a tactical team and another negotiator to assist at the scene.
All told, about 20 law enforcement officers were on the scene including CPD Chief Dixon and Sheriff Dennis Hickman.
Also providing support at the scene were the Kent-Queen Anne’s Rescue Squad, the county’s Office of Emergency Medical Services and the Maryland State Police aviation division.
In a text message, Dixon told The Evening Enterprise: “The cooperation between all of the agencies involved was incredible. It took the entire team working together to bring the incident to a safe and peaceful resolution. We are fortunate to have such dedicated and professional First Responders serving our community.”
One Response
I am very grateful to the first responders and others who concluded this event so sensitively and safely for everyone involved. Mental Health Crises require a unique response from law enforcement, and these professionals and their leadership understood that. This is how a humane community treats its citizens who are suffering.