Man detained by police after possible hostage situation

A man was arrested Sunday afternoon after police responded to a domestic violence and possible hostage situation, Gainesville Police said.

An 18-year-old woman called 911 and told police in Spanish her husband struck her with a handgun at an apartment at 3717 SW 28th Terrace, GPD spokesperson Officer Ben Tobias said. As University Police interpreters helped translate, she told police the violence had started Saturday and she fled while her husband was still inside the apartment with a handgun and possibly a 6-year-old child.

Police officers responded to the apartment around 11:30 a.m. Sunday and found the child unharmed in the crowd that formed outside, according to a press release.

Negotiators were able to call the suspect, who initially said he was inside the apartment but later said he was not, Tobias said. Police found him half a mile away and detained him.

The identities of the suspect and victim have not been verified by police, but the suspect is believed to be a Guatemalan national, Tobias said.

Police closed Southwest 28th Terrace and Southwest 31st Drive and evacuated nearby homes for about four hours, Tobias said.

Additional weapons are believed to be inside the apartment, and police are waiting to secure a search warrant, said GPD Lt. Dan Stout.

The suspect is expected to face aggravated assault, domestic battery and false imprisonment charges, according to a news release.

Contact Amanda Rosa at arosa@alligator.org. Follow her on Twitter at @AmandaNicRosa. 

Gainesville Police officers are investigating a domestic violence situation at 3717 SW 28th Terrace on Sunday afternoon.