A standoff in Scarborough ended early Monday morning when police arrested a man who had assaulted two adult family members before locking himself in a house on McIntyre Way with three young children.
Police responded to a 911 call reporting a disturbance and assault at 3 McIntyre Way around 9:45 p.m. Responding officers were told 56-year-old William L. Bowser of Scarborough had allegedly assaulted two family members, then went inside the house and locked the doors.
The Southern Maine Regional SWAT team and crisis negotiators were called to the scene and unsuccessfully attempted to make contact with Bowser by telephone and loudspeaker. When he failed to respond to repeated attempts to contact him, police deployed two distraction devices – also called “flash bangs” – outside the home, according to police.
“Due to the presence of three minor children below the age of 5 in the residence with the man, as well as the reported presence of numerous firearms in the house, police exercised an abundance of caution in an effort to resolve the situation,” Officer John Gill said in a press release.
When Bowser refused to respond, police obtained a search warrant to enter the home. At around 5 a.m., SWAT team members went into the home, police said. The children were located unharmed. No one was injured during the incident, police said.
Bowser was charged with two counts of domestic violence assault following the seven-hour standoff. He also was charged with the civil offense of creating a police standoff. Bowser was taken to Cumberland County Jail.
Police Chief Robert Moulton said the resolution of the standoff created an unusual challenge because it immediately followed a police standoff in South Portland. The rain also complicated the situation, Moulton said.
Southern Maine Regional SWAT is comprised of officers from South Portland, Scarborough and Cape Elizabeth. Scarborough police also were assisted at the scene by the Portland Police Department’s Special Reaction Team and the Scarborough and South Portland fire departments.
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