An 11-hour standoff at the Norwood Hampton Inn on Providence Hwy has ended peacefully overnight after lengthy negotiations with an armed man who was barricaded on the 6th floor. Police respond to the hotel after receiving a 911 call requesting a welfare check-up by the subject’s family. In their call to the police, they told officers that they believed he was in possession of a firearm and possibly wanted to harm himself.
The standoff began yesterday, January 31, 2023, around 11:00 hours, and negotiations between the barricaded man and authorities continued late into the evening. Norwood Police finally tweeted an update that the incident was resolved around 22:00 hours.
During a mid-incident press briefing, Norwood Deputy Police Chief, Chris Padden, stated, “He is suicidal and he is in mental distress right now. we are trying to talk him to come out and not to harm himself.” He continued, “We don’t feel there’s any threat to the public and we have negotiators in there working with him.” He also stressed the importance of taking the time to try and find a peaceful resolution.
Norwood police were the first to respond and arrive at the scene, but they quickly requested backup and the assistance of mutual aid due to the increasingly dangerous situation. Troopers from the Massachusetts State Police and officers from the Metropolitan Law Enforcement Council, or MetroLEC, SWAT team were activated and responded to the scene to assist.
MetroLEC is an association of over 46 local police and sheriff departments within the south metropolitan area of Boston, covering roughly 600 square miles and about 850,000 people. There are several MetroLEC divisions that provide regional support including the Canine Unit (K-9), Child Abduction Response Team (CART), Crisis Negotiation Team (CNT), and Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT). Responding to hundreds of calls a year, the SWAT Team specializes in calls including hostage situations, barricaded subjects, active shooters, and other armed standoffs.
Throughout the incident, authorities blocked off the parking lot of the Hampton Inn, keeping a wide perimeter for the press and public’s safety. Multiple armored rescue vehicles, called BearCats, as well as a rook, which is a specialty armored critical incident vehicle, could be seen strategically positioned around the hotel.
Using a rooftop vantage point, SWAT operators, guided by a tactical drone, lowered a ballistic curtain down the side of the building until it covered the subject’s hotel window. This was done to ensure the safety of the public in case any rounds were fired by the subject.
Norwood Police announced that after hours of negotiations, the male subject had finally surrendered peacefully with no one injured. He was then transported by EMS to a local hospital for further evaluation of his mental health. Police also confirmed that they did recover a firearm at the scene. As of now, police say there are no charges filed against the man.
