UPDATE: The week began with a murder-suicide in Sioux Falls that police say stemmed from domestic violence. Another situation Thursday afternoon involving a former couple.
When KSFY News pulled up, we noticed more than a dozen police officers and SWAT members, plus a few streets were blocked off in a Sioux Falls neighborhood.
They surrounded a home on the corner of Menlo Avenue and West 10th Street in Sioux Falls.
Sioux Falls police tell us it all started earlier this week at a Sioux Falls motel.
But Wednesday, police say an ex-boyfriend came to his girlfriend's home on West 10th Street. The girlfriend told police he wouldn't let her go. She had the chance to leave her house while he was sleeping Thursday morning. She went to the hospital. Police say she told staff she was assaulted and raped by him.
While she was at the hospital police say the man texted the 32-year-old woman saying he was going to hurt himself because she went to police. Police showed up at the house around 11:30 a.m. Thursday to talk to the man. Police say he threatened to harm himself so that's when they called in negotiators and SWAT members.
"A person threatens to hurt themselves it's not a big step to go from harming yourself to harming other people so we do this as a precautionary measure and set up a perimeter and keep everyone safe in the area," Sam Clemens said.
The home is on the corner of West 10th Street and Menlo Avenue. Police blocked off Menlo Avenue between 9th and 10th Streets. 9th Street between North Trapp and North Grange Avenues were also blocked off.
While the area was closed witnesses tell us a school bus full of kids were turned away from the area because it was blocked off.
The area has been reopened at this hour.
The man did walk out of the home and wasn't hurt. He was arrested. Police say they are not releasing the man or woman's name until Friday morning.
EARLIER STORY: Sioux Falls police arrested a rape and assault suspect who barricaded himself inside a building for several hours Thursday.
Sioux Falls police were called to an apartment on the corner of 10th Street and Menlo Avenue at 11:30 a.m. Thursday. However, Officer Sam Clemens said the incident began Tuesday at a hotel.
Clemens said a boyfriend and girlfriend were staying at the Rushmore Motel. Clemens said the couple had a fight on Wednesday and the boyfriend forced the girlfriend to stay in the house at 924 West 10th Street.
Clemens said on Thursday morning the girlfriend escaped to the hospital and claimed the suspect had raped and assaulted her. Police arrived to the house at 11:30 a.m. Thursday. Clemens said the suspect wanted to hurt himself, so police negotiated with him for a few hours.
Shortly after 3:30 SWAT team members and police entered the house and the suspect was taken away in handcuffs.
