An area in north Normal reopened Thursday night after being closed off for hours as police responded to a barricaded juvenile with a gun inside an apartment. Police said the suspect was taken into custody without injury after six hours.
Normal Police officers were called out for a domestic disturbance in a duplex apartment unit near Orlando Avenue and Northbrook Drive around 1:30 p.m., Normal Police said. The caller reported the suspect threatened to harm the victim with a firearm, police said.
The Normal Police Crisis Negotiation Team responded to the scene. Police tape stretched across an entire block as officers urged bystanders to avoid the area.
“(We) got word that there may be some kind of weapon involved. The individual is, I hate to say barricading, but he’s locking himself in the house at this point,” NPD officer Darien Bachman said Thursday afternoon while helping to direct traffic on scene.
The incident ended around 7:18 p.m., police said. The juvenile suspect faces preliminary charges of domestic battery, police said.
"Officers were able to successfully de-escalate the situation and take custody of the individual without incident," police said. "We sincerely thank the public for their cooperation in keeping our officers safe and the area clear, which allowed us to resolve the situation smoothly."
Illinois State University Police and Illinois State Police assisted Normal Police on scene.
