ARVADA, Colo. (KDVR) — Wheat Ridge police and Arvada Fire successfully ended a barricade situation and put out an apartment fire at the Iris Apartment complex.
Wheat Ridge Police Department officers responded to a call about a man wearing a bulletproof vest who was chasing people with a machete around his apartment complex’s leasing office.
The Iris Apartments, formally known as the Mesa Verde, are located near West 51st Place and Jellison Street.
When police arrived at the scene, officers said they successfully got the suspect to drop his machete, but that is when they discovered he also had a knife. The suspect then ran from the police and into his apartment where he set the place ablaze.
According to police, officers evacuated the other residents while two patrol officers went to work to convince the suspect to exit the apartment as the situation “became more and more dire.”
Officers convinced the man to comply, and he tossed the knife out of the second-floor window, then climbed out the window himself.
Wheat Ridge police successfully convinced the suspect to drop his weapons. (Photo: Wheat Ridge Police Department) 
Wheat Ridge police successfully convinced the suspect to drop his weapons. (Photo: Wheat Ridge Police Department)
Arvada Fire was called to the apartments and quickly put out the fire.
According to police, two patrol officers spent 17 “incredibly tense” minutes deescalating the suspect and convincing him to drop his weapons.
The 34-year-old suspect now faces felony menacing and arson charges. Police confirmed all residents are safe.
