The suspect involved in a 10-hour police standoff in Independence on Sunday is now behind bars after being treated at a hospital.
An investigator said the suspect, whom police identified as 50-year-old Darian Mickelson on Monday evening, has mental health issues, and in the days leading up to the standoff, police were called out to his home on multiple occasions.
The investigator said the suspect called police five times between Friday and Sunday, and either hung up or reported strange occurrences. On at least one occasion, the suspect described to police how "the government" was out to get him.
The standoff began around 1 p.m. on Sunday after police were called out to a fire on 3100 block of Englewood Terrace.
According to the investigator, the suspect intentionally set a backyard shed on fire. When officers showed up to his house, the man pointed a rifle at them and made threats before barricading himself inside his home.
Police standoff happening in Independence. Neighbors say a shed at home "blew up" before police arrived pic.twitter.com/EPLg4Zcaep
— Tom Dempsey (@KCTomDempsey) March 20, 2016
Neighbors, like Amber Walters, were forced to stay inside during the standoff.
"We were trapped at a friends house across the street," she said. "We were listening from the backyard. We heard a bunch of commotion. We heard some yelling from the suspect."
Walters said police were finally able to get the suspect to come out after several attempts during the afternoon.
"He did come out once and then he went back in," she said. "They then ended up getting him to come back out. They were offering him food and cigarettes. Anything to come out."
Several people who live on Englewood Terrace, the site of the standoff, were blocked by police as a safety precaution when trying to return home on Sunday. They said they were able to return home around midnight.
Independence police telling neighbors to stay inside homes during standoff. Waiting to talk w/ police for details pic.twitter.com/LnwNOHE0Iv
— Tom Dempsey (@KCTomDempsey) March 20, 2016
Neighbor Jim Myers lives across the street from where the standoff happened. He said the suspect often kept to himself.
"The guy was pretty secluded," Myers explained. "I know he had some caretakers that came in there."
Myers said he often saw people coming and going from the house, which stood out in the quiet neighborhood.
"There was curiosity," he said. "My wife would ask me and I would be like, 'There's got to be something going on over there.'"
Independence police: standoff suspect has mental health issues. Set intentional shed fire & waived rifle at police pic.twitter.com/cCoAAEVH1R
— Tom Dempsey (@KCTomDempsey) March 20, 2016
According to Independence police, the standoff suspect is now behind bars on an investigative hold. Officers say they are trying to get the man more mental health treatment.
Mickleson faces unlawful possession of a weapon and assault in the third degree on a law enforcement officer. Prosecutors have requested a $10,000 bond.
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Tom Dempsey can be reached at tom.dempsey@kshb.com.
