Winter Street standoff ends with man arrested peacefully

James E. Brooks Jr. (Rochester Police photo)

ROCHESTER - A regional swat team set up a perimeter around a Winter Street apartment building today after a patrol officer spotted a wanted person suspected of making threats to law officers in the past flee into the building.

The fast-escalating incident began around 10:15 a.m. when the officer spotted whom he believed was a wanted person walking on Winter Street. This male suspect then fled into 17 Winter St.

Rochester Police had previously received intel that this wanted subject made comments to the effect of not being taken alive, and would shoot any officer that tried arresting him, and that he was armed with firearms. Rochester Police also received intel that this wanted subject had frequented 17 Winter St.

Believing the wanted person was in Apartment 4, a perimeter was set up around the residence. Due to the prior knowledge of this subject possibly being armed and his comments, the Strafford County Regional Tactical Operations Unit was activated and responded to the scene.

Initially no one would exit from the apartment. While police units were on scene three males, and two females did exit from the apartment, but none of them were the wanted person.

During the course of tactical team negotiations with the suspect, he voluntarily came outside and surrendered at 1:22 p.m. Arrested was James E. Brooks Jr., a 33-year-old transient.

Brooks was charged with two bench warrants out of Carroll and Strafford counties.

He was transported to the Strafford County House of Corrections pending a hearing.