Eugene Police End 24 Hour Standoff After Armed Man Perched On Bank Roof
EUGENE, Ore. — After a 24-hour hostage negotiation crisis at a bank on Willamette Street that brought traffic to a standstill, the Eugene Police Department managed to arrest a man on the roof of the bank’s drive-through.
The drama began before 10 p.m. on Saturday, and only ended after a dramatic police siege, watched by a large crowd of pedestrians, at 9.40 p.m. the following night.
The Man Told Police that People Were Pursuing Him
The incident unfolded when Salem Police received a call from the man at 10 p.m. on Saturday, stating that he was being pursued by people. When the police arrived at 1100 Willamette Street, they found him inside a security fence near the bank. He had climbed onto a large box and was armed with a filet-style knife for protection.
The EPD Crisis Negotiation Team (CNT) spent more than two hours trying to convince the 43-year-old to climb down safely. He refused to do so or to surrender his knife.
Police officers then placed a ladder against the box and moved away from the man.
In the meantime, W. 11th and Willamette streets were shut down to traffic.
The next morning, the man was still on top of the box within the secured fenced area but at 4.30pm, he climbed onto the roof of the bank’s drive-through. At this stage, his agitated behavior had attracted a large crowd of curious by-passers.
Negotiators once again engaged with the man, but after five hours, during which he was offered the opportunity to enter a deflection program, the EPD Patrol gained access to the bank and found a way through to the roof of the building.
The Eugene-Springfield Fire Department maneuvered a bucket truck to enable negotiators to get close to the man. He was arrested and surrendered the knife.
He is lodged at Lane County Jail on charges of disorderly conduct and criminal trespass.