Staff Report news@thewoodstockindependent.comPolice removed a person from a house on Laurel Avenue Thursday afternoon, ending a frantic few hours that involved city and county police, a SWAT team, and – apparently – a robot.According to a news release from the Woodstock Police Department, the person was taken “to a medicalfacility for mental health assistance.”Although police had been told a firearm might be inside the house, the news release said, no injuries were reported and there was no danger to the public.City police were sent shortly after 1 p.m. to the home near Laurel and Kimball avenues “in reference to amental health well-being check.”Because of the possibility of a firearm at the home, police secured the area around the property, including Ryders Woods, and made contact with someone inside. The on-scene supervisor asked for the assistance of the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office SWAT team for “additional expertise and assets.”The release said a joint county-city police negotiations team made telephonecontact with the person briefly before the contact was lost.What appeared to be a robot from the sheriff’s Multi-Jurisdictional SWAT Team was used to determine theperson’s “status and location” inside the home, which led sheriff’s deputies and city officers toenter the home and find the person.The incident ended around 4 p.m.Police did notify nearby residents and the School District 200administration to warn them of the police activity.No criminal charges were being considered, the release said.
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