By Don Jovich
Record-Courier staff writer
A nearly 2 1/2-hour standoff with area law enforcement ended with a Ravenna man charged with inducing a panic, a fifth-degree felony.
Shortly after 4 p.m. Tuesday, Ravenna police received a call of a man threatening suicide at the Woodgate Apartments, located off of Freedom Street on Woodgate Boulevard.
The caller also reported that the man, identified as Aaron McHenry, 35, also was possibly in possession of several firearms.
According to a woman named Danielle, who did not want to give her last name, the man was in a third-floor apartment unit. The building was was temporarily evacuated until the situation was resolved. Residents of nearby Rushin Meadows also were evacuated.
"The man was trying to kill himself and told police he would kill them if they came inside," she said.
Minutes later the Metro Swat Unit, of which the Ravenna Police Department is a member, arrived and established a central command post in the parking lot of the new Ravenna Elks Lodge.
Officers surrounded the apartment building and gained entry to the residence around 6 p.m.
Ravenna Police Chief Randy McCoy said the man had barricaded himself inside the bathroom armed.
"We're negotiating with him and we're trying to establish a line of communication," he said. "We're trying to talk him out."
After an hour of negotiations, the suspect surrendered to tactical members without incident.
More than 20 members of the Metro Swat Unit responded with officers from the Portage County Sheriff's Office and Ravenna, Copley, Springfield, Norton, Brimfield and Richfield police departments.
The Ravenna Fire Department also responded and were on standby until the scene cleared.
Once inside, McCoy said they confiscated several weapons that were found inside the apartment, including two different caliber handguns and a rifle.
Woodgate Boulevard was temporarily closed during the standoff with police.
Several residents who were unaware of the situation watched the scene unfold from their porches or balconies.
"This is a nice place to live," Danielle said. "It's unfortunate this had to happen."
No injuries were reported.
"This was not a hostage situation," McCoy said. "He was alone and we were able to successfully negotiate with him to surrender."
McCoy said McHenry was transported to Robinson Memorial Hospital in Ravenna to undergo a psychiatric evaluation.
As for the Metro Swat Team, McCoy said they are a well-trained group of professionals who work in coordination with one another.
"They do a good job," he said.
By 7 p.m., all evacuated residents were allowed to return to their homes.