On Sunday, the Pittsburg Police Department responded to a reported domestic violence incident in which a man went into a house and held three children in it.

The incident began at 6:30 p.m. at an address on Bending Willow Way in the city of Pittsburg and ended almost 7 hours later.

William Hatcher said when officials responded to the incident, a youth named Police said the male suspect was holding a 9-year-old hostage with a knife and that the youth and a 3-year-old could leave the residence. When the officers arrived on site, they set up a perimeter and after 15 minutes this youth was able to leave the house.

According to Captain Steve Albanese, when officers arrived at the house, the female victim told officers that her estranged boyfriend sneaked into her home this afternoon and physically assaulted her. The woman was able to leave the house, but her three children stayed inside.

While the officers were there, he said that two of the children were allowed to leave the house. A short time later, the husband’s third child was allowed to leave and all children are safe with the officers and their mother. The man is staying in the house, has refused to come outside and barricaded himself in the house.

The Pittsburg Police Department tactical team and crisis negotiators arrived on the scene and tried to negotiate a peaceful surrender with the man for several hours, but ultimately SWAT was required to safely detain the suspect.

According to Hatcher, they have exhausted all methods for peaceful surrender and when they knew the house was free from others and it was a solo barricade, they tried to reach him through family members and the crisis intervention team to make contact.

Hatcher acknowledged that both the suspect’s father and mother had contacted him to encourage peaceful surrender, but admitted that the hardest part was contacting the suspect and that he was never through friends, Family, trained negotiators could contact him but could not get verbal dialogue.

The officers eventually detained the suspect in the garage area after the suspect tried to escape into the back yard.

Police said the household woman had been hospitalized for treatment for her household injuries, but no injuries were reported to the children.

No suspicious information was released.

UPDATE via Pittsburg Police

Early Sunday evening, Pittsburgh police officers responded to a house on the 1000 block of Bending Willow Way about a reported domestic violence incident. When officers responded to the scene, one of the kids in the house called 911 and said a man was holding one 9 year old hostage with a knife. When the officers arrived at the house, an adult victim told the officers that her estranged friend sneaked into her home early that afternoon and physically assaulted her. The woman was able to leave the house before the police arrived. Shortly after she left the house two of their children (13 and 3 years) were also able to flee. But the 9-year-old woman was still in the house with the man. The victim identified him as Frederick Douglas (36 years old), declaring he was on parole for domestic violence and making statements that he would not return to prison.

The officers called the residence and tried to contact Douglas. After about ten minutes, Douglas allowed the 9-year-old to leave the residence, but he refused to leave himself.

The Pittsburg Police Department has several officers trained in crisis negotiations. These highly trained officers worked for hours to contact Douglas, but he refused to speak to them. Efforts to reach Douglas’ family members were successful. But despite the urging of his mother and father, Douglas would not leave the house and launch suicide bombings by shooting the police.

The Pittsburg Police Department tactical team was activated and detectives drafted a warrant for the arrest and search of Douglas and the residence. Officials trained by Crisis Negotiators and Crisis Intervention contacted him for hours and convinced him to leave the house. After those efforts failed, chemical agents were used and Douglas left the house to end the 7 hour break. He tried to escape through the back yard but was taken into custody without further incident.

Following his arrest, Douglas was rushed to hospital and, after medical clearance, was taken to Martinez Detention Center, where he is held on a Ramey warrant for criminal kidnapping, wrongful detention, domestic violence and robbery. That case will be examined by the district attorney later this week.

The woman was taken to the hospital for minor injuries and was later released. All three children were released to family members. The children were unharmed. Detectives will work with the family to ensure they have support from victims of domestic violence and resources to assist them through this emotional ordeal.

The department would like to thank all family members and friends who have worked with officials and bring this situation to a peaceful resolution.