WATERTOWN, NY —Â A man was found dead Saturday after a 13-hour standoff with police at a home on N. California Avenue, police said.
Few details were immediately available, including the man’s identity.
Watertown Police Department Detective Lt. Joseph R. Donoghue Sr. said police responded at 10:40 p.m. Friday to 339 N. California Ave. for a reported domestic incident in which a man allegedly displayed a knife in the presence of a woman.
The woman was able to safely flee the home with her children and make contact with police at another location.
Crisis negotiators Lt. Donoghue and Officer Shane M. Ryan responded to the scene and were able to establish communication with the man by only text message.
The city’s special response team arrived on scene shortly after 6 a.m. Saturday. They were later relieved by a state police response team with added extra equipment and negotiators due to the limit on the number of hours the city’s team could be on scene, Donoghue said.
The state police team was able to make entry into the home at about 12:30 p.m. and discovered the man deceased by what appeared to be a self-inflicted wound, Donoghue said.
An autopsy will be conducted to determine the cause of the death.
Cleveland Funeral Home responded to the scene to assist.
The incident remains under investigation.
Watertown police were also assisted by Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Guilfoyle Ambulance, and Watertown DPW.