Billings police locked in standoff after man breaks into home with three children
Interim Police Chief Shawn Mayo says the suspect, armed with a knife, is currently inside a burning house on the 1900 block of North Ninth Street.
By Takeshi Faure ·
Three young children escaped a home on the 1900 block of North Ninth Street in Billings after a man armed with a knife broke into the residence on Wednesday afternoon. The standoff with law enforcement began around 3 p.m. and continued through the evening as officers attempted to secure the scene.
Billings Interim Police Chief Shawn Mayo confirmed that the suspect did not own the property. Witnesses reported seeing the man run from a car into the house. At one point, he climbed out of a second-story window and onto the roof. Police fired non-lethal bean bags at him, prompting him to return inside.
Flames were visible from outside the home after law enforcement deployed tear gas. Mayo stated that the canisters used were cold and unlikely to have started the fire, though the exact cause remains unclear. Billings firefighters assisted in controlling the blaze.
The suspect stepped out of the burning home several times during the incident. He eventually re-entered and has not come back out since. Mayo told reporters at the scene that police are uncertain if the man is alive.
A large joint response team arrived at the scene. It included Billings police, SWAT team members, Yellowstone County sheriff's deputies, and U.S. marshals. The public has been asked to avoid the area near North Park while officers manage the situation.
