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The incident took place around 5 p.m. Wednesday when Port Chester police received a 911 all from the woman who said there was a suicidal man in the residence on Willett Avenue who was armed with a shotgun and had fired shots, said Port Chester Police Chief Richard Conway.
A full squad of officers responded and Lt. Drew Conetta immediately set up a perimeter around the home, the chief said.
They quickly learned that in addition to the emotionally disturbed subject, there was an adult female and three children in the residence, he said.
Shortly thereafter, officers heard a gunshot come from inside the building. Knowing children were inside, the officers immediately entered the building in an effort to rescue the woman and children.
Officers Michael Sprague and Sal Baldo used ballistic shields to block gunfire from the third-floor stairwell as Detective Matthew Chalmers led the children, located on the second floor, to safety, the chief added.
Once the children were safe, Sprague and Baldo went back into the building, along with Officers Efrain Roman, William Washington, and Lt. Drew Conetta, to get the woman.
The team then climbed a narrow set of stairs to the third floor to attempt the rescue the woman located in the adjacent bedroom. Upon observing the rear right bedroom, Baldo and Sprague discovered the 28-year-old emotionally-troubled man sitting on a bed with a shotgun in his arm.
The man waved the gun back and forth toward the officers and then himself. After a precarious verbal exchange, the subject lowered the gun, and was tackled by responding officers, Conway said.
He was transported to Westchester Medical Center for psychiatric evaluation. Port Chester Police are considering the appropriate criminal charges
"I would like to at this time commend the courage, and skill of the officers involved in bringing an extremely dangerous situation to a successful conclusion," Conway said. "I have never been more proud of these officers as I am today."
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