TOWN OF SOUTHEAST – Putnam
County Sheriff’s authorities Tuesday identified the man who held
police at bay for seven hours shooting at them from his home on Nichols
Road in the Town of Southeast as George Bateman, 60, of 29 Nichols Road.
According to preliminary reports, Bateman telephoned his life insurance
agent around midday on Monday and expressed thoughts of suicide. He also
reportedly threatened to use violence against any police officers who
came to his house.
The insurance agent notified the sheriff’s office about the call.
When deputies and state troopers went to Bateman’s house, where
he lived alone, to check his welfare, they heard several gunshots inside
the house but at this point have not determined if any of those shots
exited the building.
The Putnam Emergency Response Team was dispatched to the scene. At one
point, Bateman momentarily came out of the front door holding a handgun
and wearing a bullet-proof vest. A police negotiator also called him urging
him to come outside without the gun, but those attempted were fruitless.
A short time later, state police send in a remote-controlled robot and
found Bateman had committed suicide.
When authorities went inside the house, they found two loaded revolvers
and a number of spent bullet casings on the floor. They also found three
pet dogs inside and unharmed.
During the standoff Route 121 was closed to traffic and residents of five
neighboring homes were evacuated.
