Suspect in Custody After Standoff in Eastham

EASTHAM – Ralph Gilmore is in custody after a several hours long standoff in Eastham Monday that saw law enforcement officials respond from across the region.

Local police had advised residents to avoid the Massasoit Road area, but that advisory has since been lifted.

SWAT officials had also been called in to help address the situation.

The following is the full statement from Eastham Police:

At approximately 9:30am this morning, the Eastham Police Department received a report of an individual, identified as Mr. Ralph Gilmore, present at a residence on Massasoit Road. Due to a current protective order, Mr. Gilmore is not currently permitted to be at this residence. It was also reported to the Eastham Police Department that Mr. Gilmore had threatened to kill one of the individuals who was at this residence. Three Eastham Police Officers responded to the residence and were told that Mr. Gilmore was currently located in one of the bedrooms inside of the residence. Due to past interactions with Mr. Gilmore, including violent encounters with the police, the decision was made to set up perimeter surveillance and request more officers to the scene to assist. Two Wellfleet officers arrived on scene along with an additional Eastham Police officer. The perimeter was reinforced, and countless attempts were made to contact Mr. Gilmore by cell phone and by utilizing a police cruiser public address system. Mr. Gilmore did not respond to any attempts by either of these methods. At that time the decision was made to activate the Cape Cod Regional Law Enforcement SWAT Team and consider this a barricaded suspect situation. Many factors went into this decision but mainly the past violent interactions with police and failing to respond to officers’ countless contact attempts. Eastham Police Detectives obtained an arrest warrant for Mr. Gilmore for multiple offenses. At approximately 12:00pm the Cape Cod Regional SWAT Team members began arriving on scene. Endless attempts were made both before and after the arrival of Swat to contact Mr. Gilmore by phone and public address system, with no response. After an information gathering period and more attempts by Swat team negotiators to contact Mr. Gilmore, SWAT team members began making entry into the residence. After not locating Mr. Gilmore on the main floor or the basement of the residence and continuing to give verbal commands for him to come out and surrender himself, a police K-9 was deployed into the attic. Mr. Gilmore was located by the K-9 in the attic space where Mr. Gilmore received a bite from the K9. He was then placed under arrest at approximately 2:45pm by SWAT team members and removed from the residence. Mr. Gilmore received medical treatment for his injuries.

Mr. Gilmore was charged with the following crimes:

Chapter 209A Section, Section 7, Violation of an Abuse Prevention Order

Chapter 275, Section 2, Threats to Commit a Crime (Murder)

Mr. Gilmore was denied bail and he is being held at the Eastham Police Department pending an arraignment on Tuesday morning. Chief Bohannon would like to commend the quick response and action of the first arriving Eastham Police Officers who set up a perimeter around the residence and contained Mr. Gilmore inside. Chief Bohannon would also like to thank the Eastham Fire Department, Wellfleet Police Department, Barnstable County Sherrif’s Office, and all the departments and members who are a part of the Cape Cod Regional Law Enforcement SWAT Team. Because of their quick and professional response, no first responders were injured during this incident.