A woman was held hostage in a Plymouth home as an armed siege unfolded, triggering a major emergency response.
The terrifying standoff began at around 9:10pm on Tuesday, 9 April, when police were called to reports of an assault at a property on Barne Road in the Barne Barton area of St Budeaux.
Dramatic scenes in Plymouth last night. © Plymouth Plus
Officers arrived to find a man had barricaded himself inside the home with the woman, making threats to harm her, himself, and others, while reportedly causing serious damage inside the property.
He was believed to be armed with a knife and possibly a firearm although, although no gun was found.
What followed was a full-scale armed siege. Armed police evacuated nearby residents and established a wide 500-metre cordon around the area.
Explosions and sounds of smashing glass were reported as emergency services retreated for safety.
Specialist HART paramedics in bulletproof vests were deployed from Exeter, while fire crews waited nearby for instructions.
Witnesses described armed officers "rushing in with rifles" and the atmosphere as “like a war zone.”
Negotiators worked for over an hour to bring the situation to a safe conclusion.
At around 10:35pm, officers forced entry into the home. The man was arrested at the scene and treated by paramedics for minor injuries.
The woman, although checked by ambulance crews, was thankfully not injured.
Devon and Cornwall police have confirmed to Plymouth Plus that the man, in his 20s, was arrested on suspicion of assault and criminal damage and remains in police custody.
Local officers are conducting high-visibility reassurance patrols in the area today, and enquiries are ongoing.
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