A nearly seven-hour standoff in Burlington ended Saturday after a 43-year-old man was found dead inside a home where police had initially responded to a report of a domestic assault.
Burlington police and the Racine County Sheriff’s Office were called around 10:22 a.m. Aug. 29 to a home in the 300 block of Lewis Street. Officers were responding to a report of an assault in progress.
Police said a man and woman had been involved in a physical altercation inside the residence. The woman was able to leave before officers arrived and was later taken to Aurora Medical Center in Burlington for treatment of injuries.
The man remained inside the home and had barricaded himself there. Police said he had told the woman that he intended to die by suicide and that he had access to firearms.
Because of the potential threat, authorities issued a shelter-in-place alert for people in the surrounding area and asked residents to avoid the area while the situation was active.
Crisis negotiators tried to make contact
The Burlington Police Department requested assistance from the Racine County Sheriff’s Office SWAT team as officers worked to resolve the standoff.
Crisis negotiators attempted to communicate with the man and encouraged him to surrender while offering resources and trying to bring the situation to a peaceful conclusion.
The standoff continued for several hours. Police later said negotiators were no longer able to establish contact with the man after other efforts had been exhausted.
SWAT officers then moved to clear the residence using specialized technology. The man was found dead inside the home.
Authorities have not released his name, and additional details about how he died have not been made public.
Shelter-in-place lifted
The shelter-in-place order remained in effect for several hours as authorities worked at the residence. The situation was reported resolved at about 5:22 p.m., and police later advised that the area was clear.
Authorities said there was no longer a threat to the surrounding community.
Police have not reported any additional injuries connected to the standoff beyond those suffered by the woman involved in the initial assault.
The investigation remains ongoing. Authorities said the man’s name will not be released until family notification has been completed.
Residents who were asked to remain away from the area were later allowed to return once the scene was secured.
