By Erik Ortiz, Staff Writer, NBC News
A military veteran suffering an “emotional crisis” shot at police and barricaded himself for over 20 hours inside of his northern Kentucky home, with a standoff continuing through Sunday afternoon, authorities said.
A call was first received at 4 p.m. Saturday of a man having a breakdown in his home in the Cincinnati suburb of Covington.
Police communicated with the man, and learned he had three children with him: a 5-year-old son, 11-year-old daughter and a 15-year-old son with autism, according to The Cincinnati Enquirer.
On Sunday morning, police were successfully able to negotiate the release of the man's three young children from the home.
The children were recovered unharmed just before 8:30 a.m. ET and put inside an armored vehicle, reported NBC affiliate WLWT.
Covington Police Chief Spike Jones declined to say how many other people might still be inside the home.
He told reporters early Sunday that authorities had been monitoring the man’s Facebook page, which described the SWAT team on his street. The page has since been taken down, and police wouldn’t immediately verify his identity.
“We understand that this gentleman is a decorated combat veteran of our United States military service and we want to afford him the benefits of what he’s earned and make sure ... we get him the assistance he needs,” Jones said.
He added that police had contacted the Department Veterans Affairs.
The situation escalated around 8 p.m. Saturday, when the disturbed vet shot at police from an elevated position, police said.
More gunfire was heard from inside the home at around 4:15 a.m. Sunday.
As the standoff stretched into its 20th hour by noon Sunday, neighbors were ordered to stay inside their homes and away from windows.
But Jones said authorities were “optimistic” talks would improve and they could defuse the situation safely.
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