Man with gun surrenders in Monticello after police standoff

MONTICELLO – Authorities said a man surrendered after a two-and-a-half hour standoff with police Sunday evening in Monticello.

Officers responded around 9:25 p.m. to 136 N. Sycamore St. in Monticello for a report of a domestic assault in progress. The mother and step-father of the suspect got out of the house before police arrived, but the suspect stayed inside with a gun.

Monticello Police Chief Britt Smith said the family members reported that their son, Jason A. Hand, 34, of Monticello, was armed with a rifle and had other weapons in the house. Hand had also stated that he would harm police if they entered the apartment, police said.

“He braced for a showdown,” Smith said.

Police evacuated an adjacent apartment while members of the Jones County Emergency Response Team assembled. Dressed in SWAT gear, about six officers surrounded the house. Several attempts to make contact with Hand, by phone and loud speaker, were not successful, Smith said.

Just before midnight, Hand announced that he was coming out of the apartment and crawled out a second-story window. Officers quickly took him into custody, without incident.

Smith said the original dispute began over personal property. No weapon was used in the assault, and no serious injuries were reported, he said.

Hand has been charged with multiple offenses including domestic assault, going armed with a dangerous weapon and interference with official acts. He remained at the Jones County Jail on Monday in lieu of a $38,125 bond.

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