Repeat offender on roof arrested after SWAT confrontation in NE Houston

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Houston police spent Friday afternoon trying to get a man armed with a knife off of a roof at a northeast side apartment complex.

According to HPD, officers received a call at around 1:30 p.m. of a family disturbance in the 9000 block of Sterlingshire. They were told a man had threatened people with a knife before scaling to an apartment building's roof.

SWAT and negotiation teams were called, as well as ladder trucks from the fire department.

Police later learned the man had taken two women hostage inside an apartment, and that the women had children with the suspect. One of the women was able to escape and call police.

The man tossed knives on the roof and climbed up to escape capture, police said. The suspect indicated he wanted to die by suicide by cop or by jumping on a fence.

After about three hours of negotiation, police used a stun gun on the man to end the standoff.

Police said the suspect, who was identified as 34-year-old Patrick Torres, is a repeat offender, having been arrested 34 times as of Friday. Previous charges range from drugs to violent acts.