Fargo (trfnews.i234.me) — Two people are in custody after a tense SWAT standoff at a Fargo
hotel on Wednesday evening.
The incident began around 6:57 p.m. on the 1400 block of 35th Street South.
Police were called for a report of a domestic disturbance inside a hotel room.
When officers arrived, they found three people in the room.
According to police, none of them initially wanted to cooperate.
A man later came out of the room and told officers he had been assaulted.
He reported that a woman inside the room had attacked him.
Police say their attempts to talk with the woman did not go well.
Officers were hit indirectly by a chemical irritant that came from the room.
The two people who stayed inside refused to cooperate with officers.
Because of their behavior and criminal histories, officials requested that the Red River Valley SWAT Team be deployed.
Around 8:37 p.m., the Fargo Police Department asked the public to avoid the area.
Roads near the hotel were busy with emergency vehicles during the response.
The standoff lasted more than three hours.
Police say it ended peacefully at about 10:10 p.m. when the two remaining suspects were taken into custody.
Both were taken to a local hospital for medical checks.
After that, they were transported to the Cass County Jail.
Police identified one suspect as Jessica Maher, 37, of Fargo.
She faces possible charges of assault on a peace officer and domestic assault.
The second suspect was identified as Justin Peterson, 37, also of Fargo.
Police say Peterson faces charges tied to a separate case in which he allegedly threatened hotel workers with a machete.
Both Maher and Peterson are presumed innocent unless and until they are found guilty in court.
Formal charges, hearing dates, and outcomes will appear in court records.
The City of Fargo provides general information about public safety and city services on its website.
Court process details and case lookup tools are available through the North Dakota Courts website.
People facing domestic violence or family abuse can find help through local crisis centers and national hotlines.
The National Domestic Violence Hotline lists safety tips and support resources for victims and their families.
Police say there is no ongoing threat to the public from this incident.
More information may be released as the investigation continues and court documents become available.
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.