1 dead in Beverly, NJ SWAT standoff that closed nearby school
BEVERLY — A hostage situation in a neighborhood Tuesday morning that resulted in officials closing a nearby school for the day has left one man dead.
The standoff began after a shooting inside the house on Bentley Avenue around 1:15 a.m., according to Burlington County Prosecutor's Office spokesman Joel Bewley. One man was fatally shot.
Officials said a man was holding several individuals barricaded inside his house. The man surrendered to police around 9 a.m. and was peacefully taken into custody, according to Bewley. A woman and four children were released unharmed.
Bewley did not disclose the relationships between everyone involved in the standoff or the circumstances.
Several people in the home had been allowed to leave earlier during the standoff. but the barricade situation continued.
Beverly police responded to the scene along with State Police, according to Bewley.
Video footage shows a SWAT team along with the Burlington County SWAT team outside the house, which is located across the street from the Beverly School.
The Beverly City School, an elementary school, was closed for the day over safety concerns, according to a message on the district website.
"Thank you in advance for your understanding during this emergent situation, but please understand that your child's safety and the safety of our staff is our priority and we would not make this hard decision if we did not feel it absolutely necessary," the message read.
Dan Alexander is a reporter for New Jersey 101.5. You can reach him at dan.alexander@townsquaremedia.com
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