Mich. man with cape, sword gets neighbors' attention, arrested after police standoff

(CBS) LANSING, Mich. - Police say a 19-year-old man outfitted in a cape and brandishing a real sword broke into a Lansing home Saturday evening, ignited a fire and then barricaded himself inside, according to MLive.com.

Lansing police Capt. Mike Yankowski said the incident began to unfold about 6 p.m. with reports of a man who had suspiciously walked up to several doors.

"He was described as wearing a cape and carrying a sword," Yankowski said. "He was going up to houses soliciting food and asking some weird questions," MLive.com reported Yankowski as saying.

Residents told the man to leave their property, Yankowski said.

Shortly thereafter, though, police received a call from another neighbor who said the man had broken into an unattended house by smashing a back window, and that resident told police the man was carrying a sword, Yankowski said.

When police located the house, officers tried to get the man to exit, but he refused. Police tried to negotiate with him but were cut short when smoke began billowing out of the house, MLive.com reported.

"Officers were able to surmise he had set at least one small fire inside the house," Yankowski said.

Police entered the house in an attempt to secure the suspect, but were unable to clear certain portions due to heavy smoke.

The Lansing Fire Department was called to the scene and managed to extinguished a blaze set in the kitchen, Yankowski said.

Police were then able to corner the suspect in a back bedroom, but the suspect barricaded himself in. Yankowski said police believed the man was mentally ill and were also concern about the sword.

Police negotiated with the suspect for four hours as he was ensconced in the back bedroom, before he finally surrendered close to midnight, according to MLive.com.

The suspect was taken to a local hospital for a physical and mental evaluation. He is now in "protective custody" awaiting placement for mental treatment, Yankowski said.

Police are pursuing charges of home invasion, arson and resisting police. Yankowski said charges will still be sought even if the suspect is institutionalized.