Police Negotiators Working to Resolve Barricade in Downtown Reno

Reno Police spent Sunday afternoon trying to talk a person out of a residential unit just east of the Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts.

Officers surrounded the El Centro building at 101 State Street. They asked people to stay away while they worked the call.

What Was Happening

Around 1 p.m., officers were on a bullhorn, asking the person inside to keep communicating, to calm things down, and to come out. Beyond that, police gave almost no details about how the situation started or what was going on inside.

What to expect

When someone is barricaded, the first job is to lock down the scene and keep the conversation going. Negotiators take the lead while tactical officers hold the perimeter. Most of these situations end with the person walking out on their own, sometimes after several hours of talking. A smaller number end with officers going in once it becomes clear that more talk will not resolve it.

From the street, it looks like a lot of police cars and a bullhorn. Inside the investigation, the questions are more basic: Is anyone else in the unit? Are there weapons? Has the person said anything that changes the risk level? Those answers often stay quiet until the scene is clear.

If You End Up Connected to a Call Like This

Barricade situations can leave family members, neighbors, or the person who was inside dealing with follow-up questions from detectives later. The 911 call, any recorded negotiation, and early statements can all become part of the file.

If you are caught up in a situation like this and want to know where things stand after an incident, use the contact form on LV Criminal Defense and ask for a free phone conversation.

If you can, have any paperwork or a basic timeline ready. We will elaborate on what realistic next steps look like.