Standoff ends peacefully in East Longmeadow

EAST LONGMEADOW, Mass. (WWLP) - A standoff at a home on Roderick Ave in East Longmeadow ended peacefully Monday night.

East Longmeadow Sgt Steven Manning told 22News a Roderick Ave resident called police to say a man with a knife had threatened his life around 6:00 pm Monday night. The victim said the armed man said he had a gun as well.

When police arrived the man they were looking for was inside 14 Roderick Ave and was refusing to come out.

Once the State Police Negotiation Team made contact a little after 8 O'clock, they convinced the man to come out, and he was taken into custody without incident. No gun was found.

Police arrested 52 year old Stephen Powell, and charged him with assault & battery with a knife, assault, and threat to commit murder. Sgt Manning said Powell was being held on $10,000 bail and was scheduled for arraignment Tuesday in Palmer District Court.

Trooper Kenneth Gaetz from State Police Media Relations told 22News that State Police provided their "STOP TEAM," their Negotiating Team, the Community Action Team (CAT) to maintain the perimeter, and the State Police dog unit (K-9).

Police had closed off Roderick Ave. and Lombard Ave. for a time, as well as ordering some neighbors out of their homes as a precaution. No one was hurt.