HOSTAGE STANDOFF ENDS PEACEFULLY

NORTH PORT POLICE AND THE SARASOTA COUNTY SWAT TEAM WERE HELD AT BAY FOR SEVERAL HOURS BY A MAN WHO HAD GOTTEN INTO AN ARGUMENT WITH HIS GIRLFRIEND.  POLICE SAY THEY WERE CALLED TO 6342 TALBOT STREET JUST AFTER 5:30PM TUESDAY.  PRIOR TO THEIR ARRIVAL A CALLER TOLD POLICE THAT THE MAN, LATER IDENTIFIED AS 18 YEAR OLD BRIAN SULSER HAD FIRED A SHOT INTO THE GROUND OUTSIDE OF THE HOME.  HE RETREATED INTO THE HOUSE WHILE THE WOMAN AND HER FIVE YEAR OLD SISTER WERE ESCORTED TO SAFETY.  SULSER REFUSED TO COOPERATE WITH THE OFFICERS AND COME OUT, AND SINCE THERE WAS A GUN INVOLVED THE SWAT TEAM WAS CALLED IN.  AFTER SEVERAL HOURS OF NEGOTIATIONS SULSER CAME OUT BUT WAS STILL HOLDING THE GUN.  AT SOME POINT SULSER PUT THE GUN IN HIS POCKET BUT CONTINUED TO BE DEFIANT AND UNCOOPERATIVE.  A SWAT TEAM MEMBER THEN FIRED A BEAN BAG ROUND AT HIM, WHICH ALLOWED OFFICERS TO TAKE HIM INTO CUSTODY.  SULSER WAS CHARGED WITH DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, CARRYING A CONCEALED FIREARM, UNLAWFUL DISCHARGING OF A FIREARM, AND RESISTING AN OFFICER WITHOUT VIOLENCE.  HE IS BEING HELD WITHOUT BOND IN THE SARASOTA COUNTY JAIL.