DARTMOUTH, MASS. (WHDH) - A Dartmouth man is being evaluated at the hospital following an armed standoff with SWAT officer during which he allegedly fired a handgun into the air, officials said.

Officers responding to a reported disturbance at a home on Old Fall River Road about 8:49 p.m. Tuesday learned from family members that David Lechan, 63, had fled the scene with a firearm and was now in the woods behind the house, according to a press release issued by the Fall River Police Department Tuesday.

After calling in a Southeastern Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council SWAT team, officials learned Lechan had re-entered the home and barricaded himself inside.

At 4:15 a.m., police say Lechan walked out onto the back deck and fired a shot into the air.

At about 4:50 a.m., he was placed under arrest without incident.

Lechan was taken to St. Luke’s Hospital in New Bedford to be evaluated.

He is facing charges of assault and battery, intimidating a witness, threatening to commit a crime, and discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a building.

(Copyright (c) 2026 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

Join our Newsletter for the latest news right to your inbox