Woman Surrenders After Hour Standoff in Downtown Binghamton

Police called out a SWAT team after an armed woman barricaded herself inside an apartment in downtown Binghamton.

Witnesses had reported seeing a person pointing a handgun in the air near the downtown YWCA building at Hawley and Exchange streets around 1 p.m. Wednesday.

Initial reports indicated the woman who had the gun also had a sword on her back.

Police officers quickly searched the downtown neighborhood and learned the woman had gone into an apartment at the massive Woodburn Court II complex at Susquehanna and Carroll Streets.

When the woman refused to leave the apartment in Building E to speak with officers, SWAT units were called to the scene.

The apartment is located on the south side of the complex, a few yards from Route 363. A section of the busy connector into downtown Binghamton was closed for a time as a precaution because of police activity. Carroll Street south of Susquehanna Street also was shut down for a time.

Shortly after 2 p.m., the woman emerged from the building and surrendered.

Binghamton Police Chief Joseph Zikuski told WNBF News there were no injuries in the incident.

Detective Captain Cory Minor said the person involved had a "mental health crisis." He declined to comment at the scene on whether any weapons were confiscated.

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Contact WNBF News reporter Bob Joseph: bob@wnbf.com or (607) 545-2250. For breaking news and updates on developing stories, follow @BinghamtonNow on Twitter.