Standoff in Flora Resolved Peacefully

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Published on March 19 2016 11:06 am
Last Updated on March 19 2016 11:06 am
Written by Greg Sapp

A standoff with a man in a home in Flora Friday was resolved peacefully.

Flora police and Clay County sheriff's deputies responded to a call to 846 East 3rd Street in Flora at 7:20am regarding the violation of an order of protection by a man.

When authorities arrived, they learned that the man was possibly armed with a handgun and barricaded inside the residence. Officers established a perimeter and attempted to contact the man by phone.

After four hours of negotiations, and the deployment of tear gas into the residence, the ILEAS Mutual Aid SWAT Team entered the home and located the man inside. The suspect, identified as 54-year-old Clay Pritchett of Flora, was armed with a black handgun, which later was identified as an airsoft type pistol. Pritchett had painted the weapon to look like a real gun. 

Less than lethal beanbag rounds were then deployed, at which time Pritchett was taken into custody. Pritchett was taken to Clay County Hospital in Flora for the decontamination of the tear gas.

Pritchett was charged with felony violation of probation, unlawful use of a weapon, and violation of an order of protection and was later taken to Clay County Jail, where he was being held under $25,000 bond.