Suspect in custody after hours-long standoff at Baton Rouge home
BATON ROUGE- A large police presence amassed outside a home in north Baton Rouge Monday afternoon.
The situation first unfolded around 3 p.m. near the corner of N21st Street and Convention Street. The Baton Rouge Police Department says the standoff involved an armed robbery suspect who has been identified as 46-year-old Charles L. Mason Jr.
SWAT unit is now sitting outside the house, with someone continuing to talk on a loud speaker to the person inside. “You need to step outside the front porch with your hands up.” pic.twitter.com/UFLiYpXF3N
— Trey Couvillion (@treycouvtv) December 30, 2019
The Baton Rouge Police Department says Mason was finally taken into custody around 6:30 p.m.
Detectives say Mason was charged in connection with a Dec. 26 home invasion that occurred within the 1200 block of College Drive.
According to a police report, Mason went to a College Drive apartment complex and pretended to be a maintenance worker who needed to check one of the resident's electrical breaker boxes.
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After the resident let Mason into his apartment, police say Mason pulled out a gun, tied the man to a chair, ransacked his apartment, and made off with the man's two televisions and car.
Detectives say they were able to locate the victim's car the very next day; it had been abandoned within the 2100 block of Convention Street.
On Monday, police received a tip via Crimestoppers, identifying Mason as the suspected burglar.
When authorities followed up and attempted to question Mason, he barricaded himself in his home and hid in the attic.
Police obtained a search warrant, forced their way inside, and arrested Mason.
The victim of the home invasion identified Mason in a six-person lineup; he was subsequently charged with armed robbery with a firearm, false imprisonment with a deadly weapon, as well as resisting an officer.
Mason has an extensive history of previous arrests, including a previous arrest for burglary in November of 2019 and for armed robbery in October of 2013.
As of Monday night, he was booked into East Baton Rouge Parish Prison.