POLK COUNTY, Fla. -- A suspect who barricaded himself in a Lakeland apartment for several hours after he was wanted for a domestic violence incident was arrested Wednesday after a standoff that lasted through the night.
Lakeland Police Department reported on its Twitter account that Nelson Santiago, 44, was successfully brought in after the agency introduced "chemical agents" for a second time into a back bedroom where he was located.
Santiago attempted to leave the property but was bitten by a K-9 unit. He was transported to a hospital for treatment. No officers were hurt during the standoff.
Update: suspect barricared in Westlake Apt has been arrested. pic.twitter.com/TR1sjuoPsC
— LakelandPD (@LakelandPD) December 28, 2016
The standoff happened at the Westlake Apartments at 501 Hartsell Avenue. According to investigators, it started at around 11 p.m. Tuesday night with a call about a domestic dispute involving Santiago and his girlfriend.
Lakeland Police Department and Polk County Sheriff's Office set up a perimeter around the apartment overnight Wednesday and attempted to negotiate with Santiago to surrender peacefully.
Police said on their Facebook account that Santiago allegedly punched his girlfriend in the face and left the scene after the initial call. Witnesses told police that Santiago was possibly armed with a handgun.
LPD responded to the scene and searched for Santiago for an hour before clearing the area. 30 minutes after authorities left, a tip came in to the department about Santiago returning to the apartment. SWAT and negotiating teams attempted to get Santiago to surrender peacefully but were unsuccessful.
The girlfriend was not at the residence and was taken away from the scene after officers arrived.
