SWAT responds to barricaded subject on Florence Avenue in Niles

NILES, Mich. – SWAT and Niles Police have cleared the scene of an incident on Florence Avenue.

Berrien County Sheriff Office of Niles Township responded to an assault call around 1:42 p.m.

They were dispatched to a residence on the 1600 block of Florence Ave.

Deputies on the scene met with two people at the residence that said they had allegedly been threatened with a knife.

The suspect was supposedly a 21-year-old male who had barricaded himself inside the residence according to Deputies.

The Berrien County Tactical Response Unit and the Berrien County Hostage negotiator team tried to make contact with the suspect.

The Berrien County Sheriff’s Office entered the home but the suspect had fled before Deputies arrived.

Brandywine and Merritt Elementary schools were on lockdown because of the incident, but the lockdown was lifted so students could go home.

The scene cleared around 6:30 p.m.

No arrests have been made at this time.