SWAT team and Manchester police in standoff at house

MANCHESTER, Conn. — Manchester police and a SWAT team were in an hours-long standoff in Manchester on Tuesday evening.

Police said a mental health professional visited the house of Horace Walker, 57, to conduct a welfare check. The visit took a dangerous turn when Walker became agitated and showed a machete, prompting the mental health professional to exit and call the police.

Verplanck Elementary was put into a secure mode and delayed the release of some students due to the incident.

This incident followed a previous occurrence on Monday when officers responded to a 911 call reporting Walker’s erratic behavior. Walker retreated into his house, only to emerge wielding a machete, endangering both the officers and himself. Officers attempted to talk to Walker, who appeared to be experiencing a mental health crisis. In an effort to de-escalate the situation, officers cleared the immediate area and contacted appropriate mental health professionals. 

Despite the attempt to involve mental health professionals in Walker’s case, this morning’s incident necessitated the deployment of additional resources. 

An arrest warrant was obtained for Walker based on his actions the previous night. Officers granted Walker the opportunity to surrender peacefully, but when he failed to comply, the Capitol Region Emergency Services Team (CREST) responded to assist in resolving this incident.

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Following a lengthy standoff, Walker was successfully taken into custody and immediately transported to Manchester Memorial Hospital for evaluation where he currently remains in police custody. 

In accordance with the arrest warrant, Walker faces charges of Breach of Peace in the Second Degree, Threatening in the First Degree, and Criminal Attempt/Assault of a Police Officer. Should he remain in custody, Walker will appear at the Superior Court in Manchester tomorrow.

Jake Garcia is a multimedia journalist for FOX61 News. He can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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