Police standoff unfolds across street from Madison Heights school

Police sources say man with shotgun is Madison Heights Preparatory School assistant principal's son

MADISON HEIGHTS, Mich. – Cellphone video shot by a student inside Madison Heights Preparatory School shows a police standoff which happened Thursday across the street from the campus.

"As officers arrived and set up position a shotgun was pointed in the officers' direction," said Madison Heights Police Lt. Bob Anderson.

Officers drew their weapons and tried to get the gunman to put the weapon down. At one point the man pointed the gun at himself.

"The officers took cover and the officers were able to negotiate and talk the suspect down," said Anderson.

Police sources say the suspect is the assistant principal's 25-year-old son. He had gone to the school to see his mother.

"His vehicle was in the parking lot of the school. Apparently he had run out of gas," Anderson said.

Police sources say the man had been staying with his girlfriend at a nearby hotel. Something happened between the two that made him mad and depressed. Police believe he was trying to hurt himself more than anyone else.

However, school officials didn't take this standoff lightly.

"Our policies were in place. Our lockdown procedures went into effect. When the police let us know that everything was all clear we lifted the lockdown, which was about a 45-minute process," said Superintendent Randy Speck.