Avon man surrenders after barricading self with weapon

AVON, Conn. (WTNH) -- An armed man who barricaded himself inside a house on Lovely Street in Avon was taken into custody early Monday, police said.

The standoff ended around 3:00 a.m., 12-hours after it began.

"The ending was the right way it should have ended," said Avon Police Chief Mark Rinaldo.

Police tell News 8 the man, Brian Benjamin, was armed with two guns, and was threatening to kill officers.

"It was a handgun, but then later around 11 p.m. he displayed a long rifle with a scope," said Chief Rinaldo.

His roommate, a woman, made the call to police around 2:00 p.m. Sunday when she was in the home with him.  She was somehow able to come out around 4:30 p.m.

Chief Rinaldo said officers eventually captured Benjamin after firing a non-lethal weapon at him. He was hit with a bean bag in the leg and received superficial injuries.

Benjamin was taken to a hospital for a psychological evaluation.

Police closed Lovely Street between Country Club and Old Wheeler, and nearby homes were evacuated as a precaution.