Ypsilanti residents living near a man’s over-30-hour standoff with police are demanding answers as to why such dramatic tactics were used to end a mental health crisis. He was arrested unharmed. The Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Department led the multi-agency response to the situation.
“I never thought I’d see a fire hose blasting into a second story of a house that wasn’t on fire.”
A line of people living near 1111 East Cross Street Wednesday night shared their experiences with Washtenaw County Commissioners. They expressed shock over police punching a hole in an outside wall and shooting water from a fire hose through it into the attic, where 53-year-old Ruben Peeler was holding out.
Greg Woodring lives a few houses away and recorded much of the incident.
“And I sat there by myself screaming at them, begging them to stop as I was convinced that these men were about to collapse this building on his head.”
County Commissioner Annie Somerville told residents she too wants answers regarding who authorized the use of the fire hose and the damage to the house.
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