Barricaded suspect in custody after hours-long standoff in Fort Lauderdale home
FORT LAUDERDALE — A man barricaded inside a Fort Lauderdale home Monday afternoon and stood off with at least 50 officers for hours until he was taken into custody shortly before 8 p.m., police said.
Fort Lauderdale Police identified the suspect as Joseph Criscione, 31. The charges he is facing were not immediately available late Monday.
Casey Liening, Fort Lauderdale Police spokesperson, said the incident began in the area of Southwest 28th Way and Riverland Road about 2:30 p.m. when officers were initially called to respond to a domestic dispute between several family members.
A woman was injured in the domestic dispute, and Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue took her to Broward Health Medical Center. She was released by Monday evening and is expected to recover, Liening said. Further details about the domestic incident were not released late Monday.
As officers moved closer to the home, the man, armed with a gun, barricaded himself and started shooting at officers, Liening said. At least one officer shot back.
SWAT, Davie Police, Broward Sheriff’s Office deputies and the FBI tried for hours to contact the barricaded man, but he did not answer any of their attempts, Liening said. Officers “were able to make contact” with the man shortly before 8 p.m., but Liening would not say how they took the man into custody.
“It was a peaceful ending tonight, and we’re happy about that,” Liening said.
A few FBI agents in camouflage uniforms with guns in hand exited the street on foot about 8:30 p.m. and an armored SWAT vehicle was loaded onto a tow truck as authorities were still clearing the scene.
Schools in the area were locked down and residents were urged to stay inside as SWAT officers responded into the early evening while some residents were unable to get to their homes during the standoff.
About 6 p.m., Fort Lauderdale Police worked with school officials so that New River Middle School students could be released safely, Liening said.
