AMARILLO, TEXAS -- Police used chemical agents to capture a man who barricaded himself in a North Amarillo home for hours early Monday morning.
The standoff happened at a home in the 700 block of North Houston. Police were called to the location at about 2:00 a.m. on a domestic dispute.
Police said a female told officers 29-year-old Rodrigo Ramon Rodriguez had assaulted her and had a gun. Officers ordered Rodriguez to stop but he returned inside the home and closed the door. He refused to come out, police said.
SWAT team members were called to the scene and police said at one point Rodriguez was seen trying to leave through a side window. He went back inside when he saw the officers, police said.
The suspect, according to police, then called the Amarillo Emergency Communications Center (AECC) and made threats to kill police officers who approached. Rodriguez said he had a gun and would make police kill him, authorities said.
A bomb team robot's arm was used to break a window to try and establish contact with Rodriguez at about 4:45 a.m. Police said Rodriguez struck the robot's arm and video camera with a small hatchet.
Chemical agents were introduced into the home just after 5:00 a.m., police said. As a result, Rodriguez stepped out of the home and was taken into custody.
Rodriguez was transported to a local hospital for medical clearance and was then booked into the Potter County Correctional Center on a charge of criminal mischief over $1,500 for damage to the robot.
Police said a firearm was not located in the home.
