Man set Peoria house on fire after barricading himself inside: police

PEORIA, Ariz. - Police say a barricade situation has ended in a Peoria neighborhood after a man fired a gunshot and set a fire inside a home.

According to police, the incident began when officers on Nov. 15 responded to reports of shots fired just after 7 a.m. at a home near 91st Avenue and Union Hills Drive. The suspect's wife ran out of the home uninjured.

Police say the barricade situation lasted two hours. The suspect shot himself in the garage and set the house on fire. 

The suspect died. No names have been released in this case.

"Our officers are still on scene investigating this domestic violence/barricade incident," police said.

Neighbors say they're shocked something like this would happen in their quiet community.

"I heard a loud, ‘pop,’ knew it was a gunshot right away, you couldn’t mistake it," said Harry Balliet, "It was a heavy-set guy in a white T-shirt wrestling with a gal dressed in black in the driveway where this happened. She got away, ran around the corner. I had the neighbor, she had her phone, I had her call 911."

It was a rude awakening for neighbors in the Brookside Gardens neighborhood. 

"Unbelievable because you don’t expect that to happen. This is a quiet residential neighborhood, but it happened," Balliet said.

So far, no names have been released.

Police want to remind people that if you’re going through a domestic violence situation or have thoughts of suicide there is help available.

Help is available. If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, call or text 988. The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline provides free and confidential emotional support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to civilians and veterans. Support in Spanish is also available. You can also chat with crisis counselors via online chat.

CLICK HERE for the warning signs and risk factors of suicide.

Location of the barricade incident: