Stand-off on 1st SE in Mason City ends peacefully, suspect released

MASON CITY – A domestic situation on 1st Street SE ended peacefully late Friday.

There was heavy police activity at 946 1st Street SE after a man and a woman were involved in a dispute at their rental home at that location after authorities responded at about 10:41 PM.  Officers were advised that the male half had armed himself with a firearm.  As dispatch was gaining information from a female caller, a male subject terminated the phone contact.

According to persons at the scene, the “swat team is running around telling everyone to get to the basement! We just got home and a bunch of guys with riffles told us to get inside and get to the basement immediately.”

Responding officers arrived on scene and quickly set up a perimeter around the property.  The Code Red Notification System was used to notify area residents of the potential dangerous situation taking place in the neighborhood.  Citizens were advised to take shelter inside their basements, police confirmed.  Officers made physical contact with residents living adjacent to the above property to take shelter.  North Central Iowa Narcotics Task Force Special Operations Group and the Mason City Police Department General Crime Division were requested for assistance.

Another person reported that “there’s a standoff, something to do with a domestic problem. They have the road blocked off and the officers had their shields up.”

The tense situation went on for a brief amount of time.  After multiple attempts to gain communication with the occupants of the property, a male subject, later identified as Joe Michael Randall, age 48, exited the residence.  He was taken into custody without incident.  Officers were able to make contact with a female and juvenile inside the residence.

Randall was taken to Cerro Gordo County Jail for domestic assault and obstruction of emergency communications. Both charges are simple misdemeanors with a bond of $300.00 dollars and maximum penalty/fine of 30 days in jail and $65.00 – $625.00 dollars. He was later transported to the Cerro Gordo County Jail where he was held briefly and then released on his own recognizance.