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Standoff in Sayre Ends, Man in Custody

After more than 9 hours, police say they have the man in custody – was found at nearby fire dept. @WNEP pic.twitter.com/MgM3yUYxJ0 — Clay LePard (@C...

SAYRE -- A standoff lasting more than nine hours in Bradford County came to an end around 9 p.m. Friday.

The police situation led to the evacuation of the farmers market and partial lockdown of a health care facility Friday morning in Bradford County.

It began before noon near South Wilbur Avenue and West Packer Avenue in Sayre.

Police believed a man in his 30s was inside a home with guns and explosives.

According to the mayor, police were called before noon for reports of a domestic disturbance. They spent several hours trying to make contact with the man with no success.

As a result, several blocks in Sayre were closed off and the east wing of Robert Packer Hospital was under lockdown, meaning no one could go in or out of the hospital from that side.

On top of that, there was a local farmers market just across the street going on. Those people were moved to a nearby church. They told us this has never happened in this quiet neighborhood.

"Getting ready for people to start coming through and a lady police officer came through and said we had to move back a lot. They said just get back quickly and then they came back and said a block further and another block," said John Seeley of Sylvania.

Since then, it was hours of heavily armed officers surrounding the home, waiting and trying to make contact with the man inside, with no success, and neighbors waited anxiously for things to get back to normal.

"This is the safest town I've ever lived in, so it surprised me that this is happening," said Donna Starmer.

Then around 9 p.m., police revealed that they brought the man into custody uninjured, after locating him at a fire department in nearby Milltown.

"He was in the house at one time. He got out either before we arrived or before things were set up," said Sayre Police Officer Nikki Hoffman.

Joseph Barry works at Robert Packer Hospital and had to wait for hours to get to his car because it was located in the lockdown area near the home on West Packer Avenue.

"A lot of people coming and going. It affected people's lunch breaks and just their everyday routine," Barry said.

There is no word yet on what, if any, charges will be brought forth against the man.

As for Robert Packer Hospital, all afternoon appointments were canceled. However, the emergency room remained open and patients had to enter the hospital using Lockhardt Street.

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