Dedham Man Arrested After Hours-Long Standoff Friday

Dedham Police arrested a local man Friday after he allegedly entered a building in the Birch Street area and engaged in a standoff that lasted for several hours.

At about 11:30 a.m. Friday, a Dedham officer saw a suspect, later identified as William Barton of Dedham, whom officers determined had an arrest warrant issued for unarmed robbery, exit a vehicle and enter a home. 

Barton allegedly refused to respond to officers who responded to the scene, and the Metropolitan Law Enforcement Council (MetroLEC) was subsequently activated. 

The standoff ended at about 4:10 p.m., when police arrested Barton, placing him into custody in accordance with an arrest warrant out of West Roxbury District Court for an unarmed robbery, according to Dedham Police. Barton was transported to the Boston Police Department for processing, Dedham Police said. 

The incident occurred mid-day Friday, when Barton reportedly barricaded himself in a residence at an undisclosed location in town. While Dedham Police did not provide details as to the location of the incident, reports indicated the matter occurred near Birch Street and in the vicinity of the Avery School.

Dedham Middle School officials sent an alert to parents stating that students who lived in the area would be held until police cleared the area Friday. 

"The arrest took place peacefully after Mr. Barton refused to surrender himself for several hours," Dedham Police said in a statement. 

Dedham officers were engaged in the standoff along with resources from the MetroLEC, as well as Massachusetts State Police and Boston Police. 

Editor's Note: The information included in this article was provided by the Dedham Police Department. Where an arrest is mentioned, it does not indicate conviction.