Sheriff explains how peaceful end was reached
By Jarod Wells
Friday, November 20, 2009 at 5:36 p.m.
Read more: Local, Crime, Standoff, Adams County, Ewbanks Rd
ADAMS CO., ILL. -- A Quincy man is in the hospital Friday, November 20th, after keeping police at bay for more than ten hours Thursday in a tense standoff.
KHQA's Jarod Wells talked to Adams County Sheriff Brent Fischer today and found out how a potentially deadly situation was brought to a peaceful end.
"Yesterday about 11 AM or 11:15 AM we received information that a subject was in a residence and had a firearm. In their belief he may do harm to himself or other people," said Fischer
And this is scene that followed. Fischer tells KHQA 39 year old Randy Black barricaded himself and his mother in the house on Ewbanks Road. The sheriff's department responded and set up a one mile perimeter around the house.
"At that point we wanted to do everything we could to put a safe surrounding around the house. We wanted to isolate the residence, and try to establish any kind of communication with the subject that we could," said Fischer.
Fischer wouldn't comment on what caused Black to barricade himself in the home.
"I could say that the subject was making comments that continued to enhance concerns that there could be a dangerous situation at that time. We continued to pursue it as a very high risk situation," said Fischer.
The sheriff's department special response team, including the department's armored personnel carrier, and four other agencies helped bring the standoff to an end. Throughout the ordeal, two hostage negotiatiors and Sheriff Brent Fischer tried to make contact with Black.
"We were able to get, towards the end, a decent repoir with him by phone. With our negotiator, QPD's negotiator and myself. He felt like he could talk to me," said Fischer.
Fischer says authorities were able to come to somewhat of a mutual agreement with Black and the requests he had made.
"After talking to him from a distance he came out and we were able to take him out with any problems," said Fischer.
The standoff came to an end shortly before 9:30 PM Thursday night. No one was hurt.
"Well I'm very pleased. You have struggles throughout because you're getting tired, you're getting frustrated with different things, you don't know what direction you're sometimes, but in the end you have to be pleased that everybody walked away safe," said Fischer.
Randy Black will undergo a medical evaluation.
Charges will not be filed until that is complete.
