Standoff ends in Estes Park after 27 hours; Man found dead inside home

ESTES PARK, Colo. – A standoff in Estes Park is over after nearly 27 hours, according to the Estes Park Police Department. 

The standoff began after police got reports of a suicidal man barricaded inside a home in the area of Larkspur Avenue at around 10:30 a.m. Friday. Police said no one else was inside the home, but cautioned neighbors to either evacuate the area or shelter in place as they worked to get the man safely from the residence. 

Larkspur Avenue was also closed from Carriage Drive to Whispering Pines Drive to ensure the public was safe during the operation.  

Estes Police was able to get the suicidal man on the phone and spoke with him for nearly seven hours. During that time, the man reportedly made multiple threats against police and claimed to have placed explosive devices around the home, police said Saturday afternoon. 

On Friday evening, the man reportedly also fired a weapon several times at SWAT officers who were trying to get inside the home where he was barricaded, according to police. 

At around noon Saturday, a SWAT team was able to go into the home where they found the man had taken his own life. No explosives were discovered by a Bomb Squad, according to police. The standoff was declared over at around 1:18 p.m. 

A total of 11 agencies assisted with this standoff, including Larimer County Regional SWAT, Larimer County Sheriff’s Department, Northern Colorado Bomb Squad, Boulder County Sheriff’s SWAT, Boulder County Regional Bomb Squad, Longmont Police Department SWAT, Loveland Police Department, Fort Collins Police Department SWAT, Rocky Mountain National Park, Estes Valley Fire Protection District, and the Estes Park Medical Center Ambulance Service.

If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, help and hope are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week at the Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or the Colorado Crisis and Support Line at 1-844-493-TALK (8255).