UPDATED: This story was updated at 10:29 p.m.
MANSFIELD — A standoff situation on Glessner Ave. has ended “without incident and without injury,” according to Mansfield Police Chief Keith Porch.
Police said a man named Ronnie Bays barricaded himself and at least one other person inside 161 Glessner Ave. for most of Tuesday. Bays had an active felony warrant for his arrest.
“Mansfield officers responded to a call here on Glessner Ave. in reference to a subject possibly armed with a firearm making threats,” Porch said to media at the scene on Tuesday evening.
“Upon contact, officers discovered there was a male inside the home with a firearm. At the time there was also a female inside; both would not come out for police, which led to a prolonged standoff with the male.
“After numerous negotiations we were able to have them come out of the house and surrender themselves without incident and without injury.”
Originally, police approached the incident as a possible hostage situation. However, earlier on Tuesday Mansfield Police Department Assistant Chief Jason Bammann said the woman inside was not being held against her will.
Porch believed Bays’ active felony warrant could have led to his decision not to surrender to police. He did not know what the felony warrant was for specifically, and said detectives were still investigating the scene to learn more.
He also could not answer if police had recovered a weapon on the scene.
“What motivations of why the female decided to stay in and not surrender to come out has yet to be determined,” Porch said.
Police reportedly arrived at the residence around 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Porch said uniformed officers set up a perimeter and tried to establish communication with the occupants inside.
“Immediately our SWAT team was contacted to take over the scene and begin negotiations with our hostage negotiators,” Porch said.
The standoff ended around 8:40 p.m. Moments leading up to the end, banging sounds could be heard on the street. Porch said those were “diversion tactics.” He said the bangs were not gas canisters but declined to offer more details.
‘Conflicting stories’
The chief added detectives are still investigating to determine exactly what transpired inside the Glessner Ave. house.
Bammann, MPD’s assistant chief, said as officers arrived at the address earlier in the day, several people were seen exiting the residence.
“We got conflicting stories from them (those exiting the residence) at first,” Bammann said. “But we were able to piece together that there was possibly a Ronald Bays inside.”
At 5:30 p.m., one female exited the residence and attempts to communicate with Bays continued at the time, Bammann said.
Bammann said he’s heard several versions of how the situation potentially began.
One version is that the house on Glessner could have had “several squatters” in it.
“I know Mr. Bays’ brother, Billy Bays, is currently missing. I think that’s probably the bigger part of this. We feel horrible for the family, so I don’t know if that’s contributing to what’s going on here or not,” he said.
Billy Bays has been missing since July 2022, according to Mansfield News Journal reporting.
Porch, however, said he could not confirm the Billy Bays connection.
“We haven’t interviewed these people yet,” he said.
Listen to an interview with Zachary Bays, son of Ronnie Bays
Bammann said no arrests have currently been made in connection with the situation in progress.
Richland Source was on site and the road was sectioned off in the immediate neighborhood.
Earlier in the day, officials at the scene, communicating through a bullhorn, could be heard saying, “We have your house surrounded. Please come out.”
“Ronnie, there are people out here who love you. Please come out with your hands up and end this.”
“Ronnie, we can guarantee your safety if you come to the door.”
As of 6:15 p.m., a crowd of around 20 people remained near the intersection of Sturges and Glessner Avenue. Police kept a perimeter around the residence but Some people were sitting in lawn chairs, and others recording with their cellphones.
Additionally, small groups of people amassed elsewhere in the residential area.
Officials armed with assault-style weapons could be seen walking through backyards nearby the site of the situation.
Richland Source will continue to follow this story as it unfolds.