Seffernick
Photo courtesy of Allen County Sheriff’s Office
LIMA — Mark Seffernick, the Lima man taken into custody by Lima police following a lengthy standoff Sunday, has been charged with suspicion of felonious assault and suspicion of improperly discharging a firearm into a habitation. He is currently being held in the Allen County jail awaiting a court date.
Seffernick, 59, surrendered to police after 4 p.m. Sunday after barricading himself in his residence at 1008 E. Albert St. shortly after midnight. Lima police officers were called to the residence after receiving a call about a man threatening another man with a gun. As officers approached the scene, Seffernick retreated into the house and barricaded the front door.
Over the next several hours three shots were fired from the residence at police. None of those shots led to any injuries.
A SWAT team from the Allen County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched and attempted to force the door without success. SWAT was able to establish a telephone connection between Seffernick and detectives throughout the standoff. An unnamed individual who was in the residence with Seffernick exited the home unharmed, along with a dog, at 8:47 a.m. The person also brought a weapon out of the residence, police said.
The incident ended after 4 p.m. when Seffernick emerged voluntarily and surrendered to police.
In a statement issued Sunday, Lima Mayor Sharetta Smith said, “I want to thank Chief Angel Cortes, the officers of the Lima Police Department, the Ohio State Highway Patrol and partner law enforcement agencies for peaceably resolving the standoff on Albert Street with an armed man. There were no injuries and I am thankful that law enforcement personnel put the safety of all those involved at the forefront of resolving this situation.
“The actions of those involved is a reflection of the sound judgment and professionalism of our police department and the emphasis that leadership puts on working with the community to handle conflicts and keep our city safe,” Smith concluded.
