Armed conflict in Dracut ends peacefully

DRACUT – An incident in which a 23-year-old man armed with a knife barricaded himself in a basement on Mammoth Road ended peacefully Sunday evening.

After his surrender, the man, who Dracut police said was suffering from a mental health crisis, was transported to a local hospital where he was connected to appropriate treatment services.

The man’s identity was not disclosed.

“Sunday night’s mental health crisis is a prime example of how a potentially explosive incident can be resolved when police, the community and specialists work together,” said Dracut Police Chief Peter Bartlett. “Our officers had the right training, the right support and received the right information from the community to resolve this crisis.”

The incident came to police’s attention around 9 p.m. when they were called to a burglary at a property on Mammoth Road. Officers found the 23-year-old man barricaded himself in the basement of a duplex.

According to police, he was armed with “a large knife” and claimed to have a firearm. He also threatened to harm himself and the officers.

The Northeastern Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council SWAT team was called to the scene. Residents of the duplex were evacuated while police closed the road at Mill Street and Dallas Drive.

With the help of a family member and a psychiatrist, the police finally managed to persuade the man to turn himself in.

No firearms were found on the property.

Tyngsboro Police assisted by providing a bilingual officer who was able to speak with the man.

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