SWAT team enters Marion home

Police officers with rifles monitored a house near downtown Marion for more than 90 minutes Wednesday, thinking a man with a gun might be there, but did not find anyone when they busted inside.

Police Chief Harry Dougherty said two people reported seeing a man with handgun enter the gray house at 415 10th St., which is next door to an in-home daycare for about five children.

The witnesses felt threatened by the man, so Dougherty made the call to saturate the area with officers.

Streets were blocked to traffic and at least 10 officers were on the scene at times. More than a dozen onlookers gathered to watch from behind police squad cars.

Samantha Coleman, 25, paced nervously on a sidewalk along 10th Street, smoking a cigarette. Her 5-year-old daughter was at the daycare next to the house.

“She's everything I've got,” Coleman said. “I'm so scared.”

At around 1:45 p.m., at least six officers with SWAT gear and rifles marched toward the back of the house, where the man was believed to be hiding in one of three apartments in the house.

“Police squad, open the door!” they yelled twice. They busted inside and Dougherty said a “Flash Bang” - a device that sounds similar to a gunshot and is meant to startle the suspect and give police the upper hand - was set off.

Less than five minutes later, they exited without any suspects.

“Either he left before we got here, or he was never inside,” Dougherty said.

Dougherty said the move to saturate the area with so many officers was a precautionary measure. He said police were aware of the daycare and made the decision to keep them secured inside.

“There was no reason to bring them out,” Dougherty said.

Police were seeking a search warrant before they could examine the rest of the apartment for evidence, Dougherty said. A police K-9 dog was sniffing around vehicles in the area, and officers were taking pictures of a white sport-utility vehicle parked near the gray house.

Back at the Police Station, investigators were still talking to the two witnesses, Dougherty said.