A seven hour police standoff in Ephrata Borough, Lancaster County ends peacefully. The incident began at around 12:30 Thursday when police responded to a report of shots fired at the Cloister Heights apartment building in the 800 block of West Main Street. A bullet went through an adjoining apartment. A county special weapons unit was summoned to the scene. Police say Daniel Armbruster Jr. fired a shot around 5 a.m. Thursday morning. The bullet went through his floor and through the ceiling of an apartment below his. Neighbor Judy Swope heard the gunshot but didn’t think anything of it until she talked to her neighbor. “She [the neighbor] looked in her door and she said there was a hole in her ceiling. So apparently Dan shot a bullet down in her apartment,” said Swope.
Police blocked off roads and went door to door evacuating the entire apartment complex. Motorists were urged to avoid the area. “We attempted to make contact with the occupant of the apartment where we believe the round came from that gentleman. Upon seeing our officers arrive, he barricaded or closed the door and stayed within the apartment,” said Lt. Tom Shumaker with Ephrata Borough Police Department.”
“When he saw police and went back inside he just looked really scared, and not right,” said Swope.
Police asked neighbors and friends for help talking Armbruster out of his apartment. Lori Bair’s boyfriend is Armbruster’s good friend and tried to help. “He just telling him, Dan come out, let me talk to you. I’m your best friend. You know, let me talk to you and see what I can do to help you out,” he said through a closed door.
After several hours Daniel Armbruster Jr. surrendered peacefully just after 7 p.m.
Armbruster is facing charges of Reckless Endangerment. Police are looking into whether they need to add any additional charges.