A 73-year-old Cherryvale man was in custody Monday afternoon (May 24) following a three-hour standoff with law enforcement.

Police chief Matt Dennis said local police were alerted to a situation at 810 W. Main shortly after 2 p.m., when Fred Jones of Cherryvale was observed to be in a suicidal state. Jones was followed to an area near U.S. 169 and county road 5200 where a standoff then began. Jones was carrying two loaded guns — a rifle and a handgun — and was threatening to shoot himself and any law enforcement officers who were approaching him, Dennis said.

Staff from Four County Mental Health Center, the Kansas Highway Patrol CERT Team and the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department were summoned to the community to try to quell Jones’ situation. Negotiations began to have Jones surrender his weapons, Dennis said. Jones then got into a vehicle and drove into a ditch where the vehicle stalled. Negotiations continued in the standoff. However, after negotiations failed, a Kansas Highway Patrol CERT team member fired a tear gas grenade into the vehicle and also fired a non-lethal bean bag at Jones. Jones then surrendered his weapons at about 5:15 p.m.

Dennis said he appreciated the help of the Kansas Highway Patrol, Coffeyville Police Department, Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department and Cherryvale Police Department in dealing with the standoff.

“Luckily, no one was harmed, and Mr. Jones was taken into custody,” said Dennis, adding that Jones will likely undergo a mental evaluation.