Keizer Police Identify Suspect in 5 Hour Standoff (UPDATE)

A handgun recovered inside the apartment was seized by Keizer Police.

Salem-News.com

(KEIZER) - Major police activity in Keizer involving a standoff and evacuations of an apartment complex ended peacefully after five hours today. Police Spokesman Jeff Kuhns says the suspect, a disabled veteran, was transported for mental health care after being taken into custody.

It began Tuesday at 11:04 AM when officers from the Keizer Police Department responded to 5075 10th Avenue NE #102, the New Heritage Village Apartments, in response to a call from the apartment complex manager.

According to Kuhns, the manager reported a tenant, later identified as 51-year old Gary Edmond Hardin, had called him ten minutes earlier and stated he wanted to kill himself. The manager told police that Hardin was a disabled veteran.

"Officers were told this subject possessed a .45 caliber handgun. He was said to reside alone at this location."

Kuhns says four Keizer Police officers responded to the location and attempted to make contact with Hardin to check on his welfare.

"One officer was able to contact Mr. Hardin twice on a telephone. On both occasions Mr. Hardin spoke unintelligibly and disconnected these calls. Further attempts by the officers on scene to contact him were unsuccessful."

Two additional Keizer Police officers responded to the location while evacuations of nearby residents from adjoining apartments occurred. Kuhns says a total of three tenants from two separate adjoining apartments were able to leave the immediate area without any problem.

The Salem Police Department negotiation team was called to the scene to assist in establishing communication with Hardin, but the additional attempts were also unsuccessful.

Then at about 2:15, Kuhns says the Salem Police Department S.W.A.T. team was activated to assist with this incident.

"They responded in the event a tactical entry into Mr. Hardin’s apartment was necessary. By about 3:00 PM S.W.A.T members were on scene developing a tactical response to the situation. At approximately 3:25 PM a decision was made to enter Mr. Hardin’s apartment to check his welfare."

Members of the S.W.A.T. team made entry into Mr. Hardin’s apartment where they located him inside the living room. He was taken into custody at that time without incident or any confrontation.

Much to the relief of police, nobody was injured as a result of this incident. Medics, who had been staged in the immediate area, were called to the scene to evaluate Gary Hardin’s medical condition. "Other than being intoxicated, Mr. Hardin was not found to be experiencing any medical condition that would prevent a police officer from transporting him to the Salem Hospital for a mental evaluation," Kuhns said.

Hardin was taken into custody on a Police Officer Hold. He was then transported to the Salem Hospital for further evaluation of his mental state and mental well being.

Mr. Hardin has not been charged with any crimes. The previously mentioned handgun was recovered inside the apartment and was seized by the Keizer Police Department.