A man died in Coventry Township of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound on Sunday afternoon after a four-hour standoff with a SWAT team, according to reports.
The estranged wife of Ryan Perkins, 32, of New Franklin, called police at about 3:30 p.m. to report Perkins was walking around the outside of her East State Street home with a rifle in his mouth, Summit County sheriff’s deputies said.
“He was threatening to commit suicide by cop,” said sheriff’s Inspector Bill Holland, who explained that Perkins and his wife were separated. “We don’t have a history with this individual, so we’re still looking into what may have caused this.”
When deputies arrived on scene, Perkins had gone inside the home with his estranged wife and daughter and made threats to harm himself and the deputies. The daughter was estimated to be between 6 and 10 years old and uses a wheelchair, Holland said.
Deputies reported they attempted to talk with Perkins using a cellphone and a police loudspeaker but were unsuccessful.
The sheriff’s SWAT team and the Coventry Township Fire Department also responded to the scene, which escalated to a long standoff. Early in the standoff, Sheriff’s Deputies Bron Thomas, Joe Black and Mark Adams and Sgt. Chris Lappin managed to rescue Perkins’ wife and daughter from the home after entering the home through a bedroom window while other sheriff’s personnel kept Perkins distracted.
At about 7:40 p.m. — four hours and 10 minutes after the 911 call from Perkins’ wife — the SWAT team entered the home and reported they found Perkins dead on the couch. It appeared Perkins died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, authorities said.
Over the course of the standoff, deputies closed East State Road and evacuated nearby neighbors.
“That’s pretty standard in these types of situations,” Holland said. “The subject had a rifle, and we evacuate nearby homes just in case the subject was to shoot and a bullet would enter someone’s home.”
Nick Glunt can be reached at 330-996-3565 or nglunt@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @NickGluntABJ.