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Neighbors Surprised After Standoff in Monroe County

ELDRED TOWNSHIP — A standoff between police and an armed man lasted about five hours in Monroe County on Tuesday. Troopers say it all started with a call ...

ELDRED TOWNSHIP -- A standoff between police and an armed man lasted about five hours in Monroe County on Tuesday.

Troopers say it all started with a call to help an overdose victim.

That five-hour standoff between police and Seth Gillen, 38, began Tuesday morning around 10:15 when police were dispatched to a home on Monroe Drive near Kunkletown after a report of a possible overdose on methamphetamine.

Police arrived to the scene cautiously because not only was there a report that drugs were involved, but there was also a report of a gun.

"When they responded they asked Mr. Gillen to come out on the porch because of the fact we had drugs involved and because of the report that there was a firearm involved," explained  State Police Capt. Robert Bartal. "And then when he did come out to the door he displayed the weapon not only did he display it be he pointed it in the direction of the troopers and that`s when the troopers discharged two rounds in his direction.."

During the standoff, Gillen reached out to a friend on facebook from a someone else's account.

"A thing that said a somebody wants to connect with you. I'm not real good at this stuff. Right so I clicked on it and it was some lady and when I clicked on it there was a picture of Scott-I mean Seth and he said 'It's Seth. I sent this.' Right, so I wrote back and I said 'What's up bud' and you know answered and 'well what are you doing there's a lot of bad stories' and then it said disconnected at the bottom so I couldn't get through to him anymore, explained Michael McCafferty."

The picture Gillen sent to his friend appears to show him bleeding from his mouth. Right now, it is unclear how this injury occurred but police say that is currently under investigation

Capt. Bartal adds, "I mean the investigation is ongoing into the actual shooting as well as to the cause to the circumstances surrounding the residence."

McCafferty explained that Gillen did not live in the house where the incident took place. He says, "He's been homeless he lives in a tent. And he's been coming up here to take showers eat a little bit, do his laundry stuff like that."

Four individuals left the residence during Gillen's stand-off with police while he remained armed inside. After negotiating with police, Gillen left the home around 4 p.m. on Tuesday and was taken to Lehigh Valley Medical Center.

"I don't know what to think. It's not like him. I mean he'd give ya the shirt off his back. He really would," says McCafferty.

Although his friends in the area are surprised, this is not Gillen's first run-in with the law. Court records show he has a long criminal history including multiple counts of theft, criminal trespassing, and harassment.

So far, Gillen is charged with aggravated assault and some related counts.

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