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Man in police custody after hours long standoff in Grand Rapids

Officers with the Grand Rapids Police Department said it was a "peaceful surrender."

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- A 30-year-old man is in police custody following a standoff that lasted five hours on Tuesday, April 24 near 44th Street and Plymouth Avenue.

Around 1:30 p.m. the Kent County Sheriff's Department went to the residence on Dawes Court SE to talk with Anthony Russo about possession of stolen property. When they got to the home, they said they saw some of the stolen property and got a search warrant.

"As they were getting the search warrant [Russo] presented himself in the doorway of the house," says Capt. Geoff Collard of the Grand Rapids Police Department.

"He was armed with a long gun of some sort pointed toward his own head."

The warrant was for receiving and concealing stolen property over $1,000. The stolen items involved in the case were tools and a boat motor.

The Grand Rapids Police Department Special Response Team, Major Case Detectives and the Crisis Negotiation Team assisted with the standoff, and they set up a barricade around the home to negotiate with Russo.

"During situations like this when an individual is in a crisis and we have no reason to believe that are others in danger in the home, we want to slow everything down," said Sgt. Cathy Williams of the GRPD.

"They were yelling at him and telling him to come out of the house," said neighbor Karen Williams.

"Come out of the house with your hands up, you cannot escape."

Russo was taken into custody just after 6 p.m. Police said their patience paid off and they were able to negotiate a peaceful end to the standoff.

"Told him to come out with his hands up, walk backwards into his driveway and stay facing his house," says neighbor Samantha Blair. "He cooperated. I'm glad it ended this way. It ended better than I thought."

Neighbors in the area were evacuated while police dealt with the situation. Police also told drivers to avoid using 44th Street and Plymouth Avenue.

Russo has since been charged with receiving and concealing stolen property and resisting and obstructing a police officer. He is being held at the Kent County Correctional Facility on a $50,000 bond.

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