Police took a man into custody early Saturday morning, hours after the gun owner allegedly threatened to kill one of his Bucks County neighbors and family members.
Authorities, including a SWAT team, surrounded a home along Ice Pond Road in Levittown -- part of Bristol Township -- around 9:30 p.m. after a woman called police and said her uncle, 58-year-old Lawrence Rouse, was making deadly threats, officials said.
Rouse, who was taken into custody without incident around 5:30 a.m. Saturday, said he would kill a neighbor and his relatives once his 90-year-old mother passed away, according to Bristol Township's Acting Chief of Police Sgt. Ralph Johnson.
The elderly woman is on hospice in the Ice Pond Road home where the standoff took place.
Police initially responded to the house shortly after 7:30 p.m., but there was no answer at the door, Johnson said.
Officials told Ice Pond Road residents, as well as others who live in the Indian Creek section of Levittown, to remain inside their homes while they investigated.
Eventually authorities made contact with Rouse, speaking with him for about three hours before taking him into custody, Johnson said.
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Officials said they transported Rouse, who may be suffering from a mental health issue, to Lower Bucks Hospital. His mother was taken to Aria Torresdale Hospital.
Detectives searched Rouse's home and seized around 30 loaded weapons from several gun safes found throughout the residence, according to investigators.
Rouse was arraigned 4 p.m. Saturday and charged with felony terroristic threats, recklessly endangering another person, resisting arrest, disorderly conduct and harassment. His bail was set at 10% of 500,000 and he was transported to the Bucks County Correctional Facility.
