Couple Surrenders After Dispute Prompts West Homestead SWAT Incident
WEST HOMESTEAD (KDKA) -- A dispute between neighbors prompted an overnight SWAT situation at an apartment building in West Homestead.
It started around 11:30 p.m. Monday at the Hotel Parry apartments along West 7th Avenue.
West Homestead Police were called to the scene first and began questioning the neighbor as well as the standoff suspect, who has been identified as Charles Cottle, and his girlfriend.
That's when the couple told police that they needed to go back inside to get their identification.
Instead, police say the couple barricaded themselves inside their apartment. Authorities say Cottle refused to come out because of an outstanding warrant.
Officers then say they heard what sounded like a shotgun being racked, and Cottle allegedly threatened to shoot. That's when the SWAT team was called to the scene.
After more than five hours of negotiations, the couple surrendered around 5 a.m. They were then taken into police custody.
Cottle was also arrested back in April of 2008 in connection with a hostage situation at a PNC Bank in McKeesport. Police say he walked into that bank with a fake bomb strapped to his chest.
Authorities say he held several people hostage during that situation before surrendering.
Cottle is facing two counts of terroristic threats, two counts of simple assault and one count of disorderly conduct.
His girlfriend, identified as Jasmyn Curry, is charged with disorderly conduct and hindering apprehension or prosecution.
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