A Pottsville man is in custody after a domestic disturbance escalated into an armed standoff late Wednesday night, according to Minersville Police Chief Jeffrey Bowers.
Police were dispatched to 564 Sunbury Street around 11 p.m. on July 2 for reports of shots fired. Responding officers learned that Michael Charles Kramer, 41, of Pottsville, had physically assaulted a woman inside the home before retrieving a 9mm handgun belonging to the victim.
According to authorities, Kramer initially held the firearm to his own head, then pointed it at the victim. He fired one round into an upstairs wall in an attempt to intimidate her and threatened to kill her and her children.
The confrontation moved downstairs, where Kramer discharged another round through the front door, apparently aiming for the victim’s vehicle. The bullet missed the intended target and instead struck a parked vehicle across the street.
A struggle ensued, during which the victim was able to dislodge the magazine from the handgun and take possession of it.
When officers arrived, they observed Kramer still inside the residence with the gun pointed at his head. Police immediately evacuated nearby homes, removed the victim from the property, and began negotiating for the release of two children who remained inside.
Kramer eventually allowed the children to leave but barricaded himself inside with the weapon. Officers positioned themselves in the front doorway and continued negotiations for approximately three hours.
Chief Bowers said Kramer ultimately agreed to surrender. He placed the firearm down, exited the front door unarmed, and was taken into custody without further incident.
State Route 901 was closed for about three hours while police secured the scene.
Kramer was charged with Aggravated Assault, Simple Assault, Recklessly Endangering Another Person, Terroristic Threats, and Criminal Mischief. He was arraigned before on-call Magisterial District Judge Edward Tarantelli and locked up in Schuylkill County Prison.
Multiple agencies assisted Minersville Police, including Pottsville, St. Clair, Orwigsburg, Schuylkill Haven, and Frackville Police Departments, the Pennsylvania State Police, Minersville EMS, and Minersville Fire Police.