Suspect accused of hitting woman arrested after hourslong SWAT standoff with twin babies in home

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Police were heard yelling at a man, telling him to bring his babies outside, before an hourslong SWAT standoff ended in north Houston.

It all unfolded at an apartment complex on Werner Street near Tidwell and I-45. Houston police were initially called to the scene around 12:20 a.m. Wednesday for an assault in progress.

When HPD patrol units arrived, they met a woman in the parking lot with visible injuries to her face, Craig Bellamy with HPD said.

The woman told police the suspect hit her with his fists and a pistol, and he was still inside with their 1-year-old twins, who were asleep in the bedroom.

HPD officers tried to make contact with the man, but he wouldn't come out, Bellamy said. In total, they spent about six hours trying to convince him to come outside.

Investigators said the suspect made it clear he wasn't going to come out on his own. He even reportedly began barricading the front door of the apartment.

ABC13 reporter Charly Edsitty said the SWAT scene was pretty quiet before negotiators started talking to the suspect, telling him to come out of the apartment with his hands up.

Officers addressed him as "Damion." The exact spelling of his name is unknown.

With concern for the kids still inside, SWAT used forced to break through the front door, Bellamy said. That's when ABC13 crews heard a loud bang and saw the door bust open.

The suspect ran outside but didn't get far before he was caught by HPD and placed in handcuffs. Bellamy said the man was not armed when he ran out of the apartment.

ABC13 crews saw the handcuffed man being walked to a police vehicle shortly after 6 a.m.

Police said the man had minor abrasions and the babies were not injured.

Investigators noted that the man never threatened to hurt his kids, but he did threaten to fight police if they tried to arrest him.

"That was one of the things that allowed us to take our time in trying to resolve this by talking it out. [The mother] made it pretty clear that she didn't think he would hurt the kids, and he never said he would do that either," Bellamy said. "He made it abundantly clear he planned to fight us, but wouldn't hurt the kids."

Police said the man is charged with making a terroristic threat, though additional charges are likely.

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