LEWISTON, N.Y. — People are no longer being asked to avoid a section of Mount Hope Road in the Town of Lewiston. The Niagara County Sheriff's office says the police activity on Tuscarora Nation Reservation is complete.
The Niagara County Sheriff's Office posted on Facebook early Wednesday morning that people were being advised to stay away from the area of Walmore Road and Mount Hope Road.
Later Wednesday morning, the Lewiston Police Chief Frank Previte shared that around 11:45 p.m. on Tuesday, the police were called for a possible shots fired and domestic situation. Police discovered a 41-year-old man had barricaded himself with a rifle. A woman and a 15-year-old had evacuated to a different family member's house.
Police heard three shots fired while they were setting up a perimeter. They contacted the Niagara County Sheriff Emergency Response Team.
Law enforcement attempted to establish contact with the man without success.
Several more gunshots were heard throughout the night, so the Niagara Falls Police Department SWAT team was called in because of manpower issues during the incident. Negotiation efforts continued.
Around 7:44 Wednesday morning the man was taken into custody without incident after tear gas was used. He is facing charges and will be arraigned later Wednesday.
According to a representative from the Niagara-Wheatfield School District, families from the Tuscarora Indian Elementary School received a message this morning that school would be closed today due to a person with a firearm. These events took place within 100 yards of the school.
Once the situation was resolved, Niagara Wheatfield sent out the following update to the school community:
The District just received notification from the Lewiston Police Department that the person with the firearm has been taken into custody and the situation is resolved. All individuals are safe and the surrounding area has been deemed safe by law enforcement. Law enforcement will continue to be in the area of the incident processing the scene. Tuscarora Elementary School will still be closed today.
