By Colin McEwen
Record-Courier staff writer
The wife of a Ravenna man who is accused of inducing panic during a nearly three-hour standoff in Ravenna Tuesday says police blew her husband's call for help out of proportion.
Aaron McHenry appeared for arraignment via video from the Portage County jail on Wednesday.
Portage County Municipal Court Judge Barbara Watson set his bond at $25,000. The pre-trial was set for Aug. 22.
The standoff began when police received a call around 4 p.m. Tuesday about a man threatening suicide at the Woodgate Apartments, located off North Freedom Street on Woodgate Boulevard.
Just before 7 p.m., McHenry, 35, surrendered to members of law enforcement without incident.
His wife, Kristin McHenry, said Wednesday she isn't sure if jail is the right place for her husband to be, adding that he needs professional mental help.
"(Law enforcement officials) blew it out of proportion big time," she said. "I understand they have to do what they have to. I think they went about it all wrong."
Aaron McHenry called a mental health hotline, she said, and when they found out he had a gun, police showed up at their home.
"This is the first time he called for help, and this is what he got," she said. "He has been a little down in the dumps lately. We have been having some financial trouble."
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.
Ravenna Police Chief Randall McCoy said that all the members of the negotiating team have received training with this type of situation, and this situation was handled correctly.
"If he had come out and talked with us, he probably would not have been arrested," he said. "We would have taken him to the hospital. He refused to talk with us, and there were weapons involved. That's when it becomes a tactical situation with the SWAT team."
McCoy said he was pleased the situation was resolved peacefully.
"I don't really know what set all this off," he said. "Obviously, there are issues, but fortunately he surrendered and we hope he'll get all the help he needs."
Kristin McHenry said she believes the SWAT team only escalated the situation, adding paranoia to her husband's state of mind.
"They are the ones who induced the panic, not him," she said. "He's had problems, but I knew he wouldn't kill himself, or hurt anybody else. It was a man who needed help, and when he called for it, they sent the SWAT team."