Two men arrested during standoff in Lowell | News, Sports, Work

LOWELL — Two Lowell men were arrested this weekend in connection with a Lowell standoff, one for shooting in a public place and the other for using a weapon while intoxicated.

The Washington County Sheriff’s Office’s Special Response Team responded to a residence with a distressed person Sunday evening, according to Deputy Chief Mark Worden.

Warden identified the man as Tom Shanks of Lowell. He did not give Shanks’ age.

He said a supervisor received a report of the incident around 6 p.m. Sunday and officers made contact with Shanks, but he went into the living area on the second floor of the detached garage.

“He actually barricaded himself in there,” The supervisor said.

The Sheriff’s Office cordoned off the scene and attempted to contact Shanks through negotiators, but were unsuccessful, Warden said, so the Sheriff’s Office deployed drones.

“He was actually firing a gun at the drones,” The supervisor said.

He said Shanks also fired a weapon inside the living area of ​​the detached garage.

During the incident, a man, identified by Warden as Tony Wittekind of Lowell, appeared on the perimeter and offered his assistance to officers.

“He was drunk and armed,” The supervisor said.

He said Wittekind was arrested and taken to the Washington County Jail.

Washington County Jail records show Wittekind, 62, was charged with operating a weapon while intoxicated, a first-degree felony under the Ohio Revised Code.

Jail records showed Wittekind had a $1,000 cash bond. As of Monday, he had not been paid and he was still in jail.

lower legs “eventually it was without incident” Warden said, and deputies transported him to the hospital as a precaution. He said Shanks was hospitalized, but did not name the hospital.

Warden said the Sheriff’s Office was not deployed during the incident, Shanks was not injured during the incident, and he did not shoot at officers on the scene.

The Warden had no idea why Shanks was confused.

During the incident, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office canvassed some of the residences below the scene and asked residents to evacuate, Warden said, and they notified people through the county’s public address system. The evacuation was voluntary, Worden said, and the Lowell school was open to all evacuees.

He said there was an adult in the house next door to the garage and they refused to evacuate and were not in danger at the time.

Shanks does not appear on the Washington County Jail website, and there is no word yet on what charges he may face. No photo of Shanks was available at press time.

The Lowell Police Chief, Lowell Adams Volunteer Fire Department, Beverly Waterford Rescue Squad, Reno Volunteer Fire Department and Washington County Sheriff’s Special Response Team all responded to the scene, Worden said.