Standoff at Abbe Center ends in suicide

A patient at the Abbe Center for Community Care, who shot himself after a two-hour standoff at the facility near Marion early Wednesday, was identified this afternoon as William Null, 63, of Marion

Null was pronounced dead at University Hospitals shortly after 6 a.m., according to Linn County Sheriff Brian Gardner.

Authorities responded at 11:12 p.m. to the Abbe Center, 1860 County Home Road when staff reported that a patient had returned to the building and was armed with a handgun. Gardner said the call the sheriff's office reported someone who was agitated and making threats.

Linn County sheriff's deputies entered the facility and made contact with Null in a hallway near his room. They confirmed Null had a gun, and summoned negotiators and deputies wearing SWAT gear to the scene.

During the standoff, which lasted about three hours, Null threatened to hurt himself repeatedly but never made threats against the staff or other residents, Gardner said. The center went on lockdown and other patients were moved to a safe area of the building, authorities said. The cycle of negotiations went up and down with hopes of preventing him from hurting himself.

But around 1:30 a.m., the man went out the south door of the facility and shot himself, authorities said. An ambulance that had been at the facility drove around to the back side and took the man to St. Luke's Hospital in Cedar Rapids. He was later flown to University Hospitals in Iowa City.

Dan Strellner, president and CEO of Abbe Inc., declined comment on the incident, citing the continuing investigation. He said about 125 residents live at the county-owned center, where the agency provides service to adults with psychiatric, developmental, or medical conditions.

In the news release, Stuelke said Null “returned to the facility from a pass and at some point had armed himself.”

When asked specifically about the “pass” Null was on, Strellner declined to comment on specifics.

“We're talking to residents and staff to provide them the support they want and need,” Strellner said. “It's still pretty early in that process for us.”

Gardner said Abbe Center patients are “shook down” for contraband, but he is not sure the shakedown was performed on Null.