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A man who barricaded himself inside a Butte apartment Thursday, triggering a three-hour standoff with police has been transported to the Montana State Hospital in Warm Springs following a mental health evaluation.

The County Attorney's office has filed a petition for involuntary commitment. A hearing on the petition will be held on Tuesday before District Judge Brad Newman. The man's name has not been released because no charges have been filed.

Butte police were called to the residence at 501 Silver Bow Homes Thursday morning after they received two calls that a man at the residence was suicidal.

Police arrived at the home at about 10:30 a.m. and tried to negotiate with the man who had barricaded himself inside the home. After about two hours of negotiations and receiving word that the man was cutting himself, police forced their way into the apartment, Butte-Silver Bow Law Enforcement Captain George Skuletich said.

Police eventually entered the home by breaking windows and using a chainsaw. They entered through a window and found the man sitting on his couch. He was arrested without incident, Skuletich said. The standoff ended peacefully at around 1 p.m.

The only weapons found in the apartment were knives. No one was injured.

The surrounding area was evacuated during the standoff.

(From March 4, 2010)

A man is in custody after barricading himself in an apartment Thursday morning, triggering a three-hour police standoff at Silver Bow Homes.

Butte police were called to the residence at 501 Silver Bow Homes Thursday morning after they received two calls that a man at the residence was suicidal. Police arrived at the home at about 10:30 a.m. and tried to negotiate with the man. That's when he barricaded himself inside the home.

Police eventually entered the home by breaking windows and using a chainsaw. They entered through a window and found the man sitting on his couch. He was arrested without incident, Butte-Silver Bow Law Enforcement Captain George Skuletich said. The standoff ended peacefully at around 1 p.m.

The only weapons found in the apartment were knives. The man was then transported to St. James Healthcare for a medical evaluation.

It was a situation that put others in danger, Skuletich said.

"Well when someone wants to take their own life always someone is in danger, does put firefighters, police officers in danger that's why we took our time to make sure everyone is safe," Skuletich said.

The surrounding area was evacuated during the standoff.

The man's identity has not been released.