Officers were dispatched around 1:15 a.m. on Tuesday to the 700 block of East High Street in regards to an open 911 line with a man and woman arguing, according to an affidavit filed in the case. The woman was telling the man, identified as Payne, to leave while he was making threats at her.
When police arrived, they knocked on the door and the woman answered, letting officers enter the apartment where Payne was sitting on the couch. Officers observed a gun on Payne’s hip and asked if it was loaded, but he said it was a knife, and then began screaming at them, the affidavit stated.
One officer took the woman to a bedroom to speak with her about the incident. She said Payne had been irate with her since the night before and had been threatening her all day before he left around midnight. When he returned, he made his way back inside the locked apartment and began arguing with her again.
“Payne pushed her into the door causing her to lose balance. When (the woman) told Payne that he needed to leave, he pushed her into the door again causing her to hit her head and causing an abrasion to her upper left eye,” the affidavit stated.
The woman then called 911 and left the line open so dispatch could hear the argument.
The other officer tried to talk to Payne about the incident, but he refused to answer anything regarding the situation. Officers then told Payne he was under arrest for domestic violence and assault before he started screaming and moved his hand towards his lower back.
“He pulled what was believe to be a firearm and pointed it at (the officer). Payne then turned very quickly and pointed the firearm at (the other officer). Both officers drew their service weapons and directed them toward Payne,” the affidavit stated.
Payne retreated back towards the bedroom and grabbed the woman to use as a shield before barricading himself in the bathroom.
“He grabbed (the woman) and pulled her in front of him, using her as a human shield. He had the firearm pointed at (the woman’s) stomach,” the affidavit stated. “After several seconds, Payne pushed (the woman) at officers who still had service weapons drawn on him. He then moved his way to the bathroom of the residence and closed the door.”
While the two officers were attempting to talk Payne out of the bathroom, five other officers arrived on scene to assist and secure the perimeter. After about 30 minutes, a sergeant arrived on scene and made the decision for them to wait for Springfield SWAT to arrive.
Once Springfield Police SWAT arrived, law enforcement continued to try and get Payne out of the house for nearly six hours before gassing the house around 6:30 a.m., the affidavit stated. They were then able to make entry inside the residence and arrest Payne.
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