For 17 hours Monday, the streets around the Watergate at Landmark were blocked, as Alexandria Police hostage negotiators were called to the scene in an attempt to safely coax from his townhouse an armed man who had reportedly threatened suicide.

On Monday at around 3:20 p.m., officers were called to the area to check on an individual who was believed to be armed with a rifle and distraught. After making contact with the officers, the individual refused to leave and threatened to harm anyone who came near his residence.

Officers secured the area, blocking Holmes Run Parkway and Paxton Street in each direction.  The houses immediately adjacent to the individuals residence were evacuated. 

Alexandria Special Operations Team (SOT), Hostage Negotiation Team (HNT), K-9 Units and Arlington SOT responded to the scene.

Police negotiated with the individual throughout the night, and at approximately 6:15 a.m. on Tuesday, the individual surrendered to police without further incident. There were no injuries.

Residents were kept from entering their homes or apartments until 7 pm Monday, when those walking away from the direction of Van Dorn Street could enter Holmes Run Parkway from Ripley Street. Until 7 am Tuesday morning, cars were also blocked from moving in and out of the area.

Other residents of the West End were also prevented from reaching their homes or apartments. Many gathered farther down the parkway by the firehouse, which had become the staging area, or to the nearby McDonalds restaurant.

Residents awoke the next morning to the same blockade until the man finally submitted to police negotiators and order was restored.
 
Donna Shor contributed to this reporting.