YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) — A standoff on Aberdeen Avenue on Youngstown’s south side ended peacefully Friday afternoon after a man who police confronted earlier came out of his home.

The man, who was clad only in his underwear and a pair of socks, surrendered to members of the Mahoning Valley Crisis Response Team almost three hours after Youngstown police were first called to the street about 11 a.m. for a report of a man threatening neighbors with a rifle.

Photos: Aberdeen Avenue standoff

Municipal court records show the man, Brandon Turjonis, 32, is charged with aggravated menacing, a first-degree misdemeanor, although more charges can be filed at a later date.

When police first arrived, Turjonis ran from an officer and went inside the home, according to Detective Sergeant Mohammad Awad.

Turjonis was holding a rifle when the first officers arrived, Awad said.

After he refused orders to come outside, police set up a perimeter and called in the SWAT members and negotiators for the CRT team.

When police were initially called, Turjonis’ children and wife were outside. Police put them in cruisers to make sure they were out of harm’s way while authorities tried to coax the man outside, Awad said.

Youngstown police Detective Sgt. John Elberty, who is also head of the SWAT team, credited negotiators with getting Turjonis to talk to them.

“We made contact with the subject and spoke to him at length over the phone. He had a pretty good demeanor with us. I mean, he didn’t seem upset or agitated,” Elberty said.

Elberty said negotiators were able to get in touch with him early on. There was a slight glitch when Turjonis refused to talk to them anymore, but SWAT members who were sheltering behind an armored vehicle on the man’s front lawn began speaking to him and got him to come outside, Elberty said.

Members of the Mahoning Valley Crisis Response Team Friday keep an eye on an Aberdeen Avenue home where a man with a gun refused to come out. He later came out peacefully.
Members of the Mahoning Valley Crisis Response Team Friday keep an eye on an Aberdeen Avenue home where a man with a gun refused to come out. He later came out peacefully (WKBN Photo by Joe Gorman).

“This is a family neighborhood. We have a bunch of kids on this street. It’s always quiet and peaceful, and we just want it to go back to that. That’s all,” said Pete Johnson, a neighbor.

After three hours, it did.

Turjonis surrendered on his front lawn wearing only his underwear and a pair of socks.

“He came out peacefully. He came out with his hands up. No force was needed,” Awad said. “They were able to open up a dialogue with him to connect with him and able to get him out peacefully and that’s always a perfect scenario.”