One in custody after Iowa City standoff

IOWA CITY - A standoff lasting several hours ended peacefully with the suspect in custody.

Iowa City police officers were called just after 8 p.m. Thursday to a mobile home park near Interstate 80. Law enforcement received a report of threats made at 1705 Prairie du Chien Road. Arriving officers learned a man had threatened to burn down a neighbor's trailer and had gone inside his trailer to retrieve a gun, according to a release from the Iowa City Police Department.

Authorities were unable to use a loudspeaker to contact the suspect, though he could be seen moving inside the trailer. During the standoff, police blocked traffic in both directions on Prairie du Chien Road and officers in full tactical gear had their weapons drawn.

The suspect eventually made contact with officers by calling 911, and the department's crisis negotiation team continued communication.

Around 11:30 p.m., the mine-resistant ambush-protected vehicle, also known as an MRAP, from the Johnson County Sheriff's Office arrived to evacuate people living near the suspect's mobile home. Also around that time, the suspect left his trailer and was taken into custody, according to police.

The suspect, whose name was not released, was taken to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics for a mental health evaluation. Police say charges are pending in the case.​