Update: Man had knives, damaged church during police standoff in Grand Island
GRAND ISLAND, Neb. — Police are releasing more details about the circumstances that led to a standoff at a downtown Grand Island church on Thursday.
Officers responded to a report of a possible burglary at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church around 9:00 a.m. Officers found 36-year-old Seth Ketelhut inside carrying several knives.
Police told our news partners KSNB Local 4 that they tried to negotiate with him for 45 minutes before tactical units arrived. Officers eventually used a K-9 unit to help put Ketelhut in custody.
Police say he caused damage inside the church including defecating on bibles, damaging crosses and drawing symbols of hate on walls. In a social media post, church officials say he wasn’t able to get into the sanctuary.
Officers arrested Ketelhut for burglary, obstruction, resisting arrest, criminal mischief, trespassing and two weapons violations.
ORIGINAL STORY (2/23):
GRAND ISLAND, Neb. - Things are back to normal in downtown Grand Island on today after a standoff at a church briefly shut down traffic.
The Grand Island Police Department says officers and negotiators were on scene at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church at 2nd and Cedar Streets Thursday morning. Police social media posts say a man with knives had barricaded himself in the church. They posted around 10:50 a.m. that the subject had been detained.
We will provide updates as more information is released by police.