April O'Neil / news@WHMI.com

The Brighton City Police Department has issued a press release regarding a standoff incident that began Sunday afternoon at approximately 2:30 p.m. at the Brighton Meijer, located at 8650 W. Grand River Avenue. The standoff occurred in the parking lot, near the store's Garden Center.

According to the press release, authorities spent hours attempting to communicate with a man who barricaded himself inside a travel trailer. Around 7:20 p.m. SWAT operators entered the trailer and found the man lying on a bed, unresponsive.

It was later determined the man died by suicide.

Heavy traffic and police presence prompted drivers to avoid the area for the majority of Sunday afternoon and early evening while multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Livingston Regional SWAT and Negotiator teams, were called to assist.



Below is a copy of the official press release, issued just after 10:15 p.m. Sunday night:

"Officers of the Brighton City Police Department were investigating a U-Haul truck and a travel trailer parked on the north side of the building. During the investigation it was found that the registered owner, an adult male of the travel trailer had several warrants for his arrest including a serious felony warrant that involved a weapon.

Officers also discovered that the U-Haul truck parked next to the travel trailer was reported stolen out of another jurisdiction and the adult male was the suspect.

Officers attempted to contact the occupants in the travel trailer but received no answer. Officers attempted hailing the people inside with the loudspeaker in the patrol car and a single adult female came to the door. Officers contacted the adult female and asked her about the adult male who was the registered owner of the travel trailer.

The female advised the adult male had left with the U-Haul truck two hours ago. However, Officers saw the U-Haul truck parked next to the travel trailer. Officers continued attempting to establish communications with the adult male who was believed to be inside.

Officers of the Brighton City Police Department requested additional Officers from other jurisdictions out of an abundance of safety. Safety for the Officers, citizens, and people inside the travel trailer. Once the additional Officers arrived on scene, a perimeter was established, the adult female exited the travel trailer, and communications were established with the adult male inside.

Several attempts were made requesting the adult male to exit the trailer. After approximately a half an hour of negotiations the adult male’s phone disconnected.

Due to the nature of the adult male’s warrants and again out of an abundance of safety, the Livingston Regional SWAT and Negotiator teams responded to the scene. Once on scene, several more attempts were made to establish communications with the adult male. No communication was able to be established.

At approximately 7:20 pm, a small team of SWAT operators approached the trailer. The operators deployed a Noise, Flash, Distraction, Device (NFDD), broke out a window of the trailer, and introduced a pole camera to see inside.

The pole camera established that the adult male was unresponsive laying on the bed inside the travel trailer. A small team of SWAT operators along with a K9 made entry into the trailer and found the adult male deceased due to suicide.

Once the barricade incident was over, a number of Officers remained on the scene to process further evidence.

During the incident, there were no children involved. Also, there were no reported injuries to Officers on scene, citizens, and at no point were shots fired by police or at police.

The Brighton City Police were assisted by the Livingston County Sheriff’s Office, Green Oak Township Police Department, Hamburg Township Police Department, and the Metro Parks Police Department."

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Photo is courtesy of our reporting partners at WDIV Detroit.