Update: Police have charged Robert Brown, 65, of 20 Doris Avenue, with murder in the second degree in the shooting death of his wife Sara, 71. See separate story.
Updated: 4:40 p.m. Two hours after police took a man into custody at the Doris Avenue home where he barricaded himself in a tense, four-hour standoff with police, Suffolk County Police Department and Suffolk Fire Rescue Emergency Services investigators have descended on the scene.
A Suffolk FRES command post vehicle has set up on Doris Avenue, a Suffolk County Police Crime Laboratory truck has arrived, as have as several other large emergency services vehicles and Suffolk County Police detectives.
Police have taped off the area with yellow tape.
Officers at the scene are not commenting and a Suffolk County Police Department spokesperson said the public information office does not yet have any information to share concerning the investigation, which is just getting underway
The standoff ended at about 2:30 p.m., when police were seen escorting a man from the home at 20 Doris Avenue.
According to town tax records, the home is owned by Robert and Sara Brown, who purchased it in 1990 from the Town of Riverhead.
The incident started at around 10 a.m., according to neighbors who were gathered at the corner of Doris Avenue and Phillips Street.
Riverhead Town Police and Suffolk County Police Emergency Services responded to a 911 call.
Police were heard repeatedly calling over a loudspeaker outside the house, “Mr. Brown we need you to come to the front door.” At one point the officer on the loudspeaker added, “We need to know the status of your wife.”
It is unknown if the man responded to police in any way.
An armored emergency services vehicle was seen driving up to the house and removing what appeared to be a metal frame door from the dwelling.
After the man was escorted from the scene by police, a Riverhead Police detective declined comment when asked if anyone in the house was injured.
Nearby homes were evacuated and police are just beginning to let residents return to their homes.
Neighbors expressed shock at the incident.
“He’s a nice person. I don’t know what happened. He’s a very quiet guy, pleasant, always encouraging other people,” one woman said. “When they’d go fishing they always brought my mother some fish.”
Another woman said the neighbors are “praying they both make it out.”
“This is not like Bobby,” she said. “There has to be some kind of mental issue.”
This is a developing story. Check back for more information.
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