Man in custody after standoff with Melbourne law enforcement

MELBOURNE, Fla. — An armed man who was holed up inside a Melbourne house and refused to come out, has been taken into custody Thursday, investigators said.

A SWAT team surrounded the home on Poinciana Drive near Highway 1 and Babcock Street.

Some homes were evacuated as a precaution, said authorities.

Police said they were called to the house in response to a disturbance between a man and his boyfriend.

One of the men, Douglas Van Buren, called the Channel 9 newsroom twice during the standoff and said he wants to explain his side of the story.

WFTV passed the call on to Melbourne Police, which asked Channel 9 not to take any more calls from him.

Van Buren, 52, is in the Brevard County Jail Thursday after he held the officers at bay for hours.

Mary Leigh lives next door. She said she's had frequent arguments with Van Buren and his boyfriend.

"Standing on my driveway talking insanity, had his cellphone, says he was calling 911," Leigh said.

Neighbor Ginny Sheffer said Van Buren and his boyfriend were arguing at 7:30 a.m. and the police were on scene.

The men were arguing when one of them grabbed a rifle and threatened the other, who then called 911, police said.

"When you have a person that will point a firearm at another individual, that's a person that we need to get into custody," said Shelly Sheridan with the Melbourne Police Department.

Authorities said Van Buren was arrested on charges of assault and battery.

Authorities said there were no injuries reported.

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