Second Suspect Charged at Stamford's Stillwater Standoff Site

A second suspect was charged Wednesday evening at the site of a brief standoff in Stamford's Westside after allegedly using a hammer to threaten contractors repairing a door there. 

According to Lt. Diedrich Hohn, Michael Lee Callahan, 49, of 55 Stillwater Avenue, entered the site of 41 Stillwater Avenue following another arrested party's brief standoff with police earlier in the afternoon. 

Shortly before 2 p.m. Wednesday, police received a call that a man with a gun was seen out front of the convenience store Casa Villa at the intersection of Stillwater Avenue and West Main Street.

Upon police arrival, a suspect identified as Victor Alan Bester, 50, of 41 Stillwater Ave., allegedly ran from authorities, ducking through several backyards along Stillwater before entering the home at 41 Stillwater Avenue and remaining in the upper levels until the Stamford Special Response Team arrived and took him into custody without incident. 

Police said Thursday they still had not recovered any weapon from the chase or from within the home. 

Callahan entered the home of his own accord Wednesday evening to search for the gun himself, Hohn said, and began using a hammer to threaten two contractors there repairing a door because Callahan believed they were attempting to help hide the weapon. 

Hohn said Callahan smashed out a total of seven windows in the home before officers arrived at the house again. Police arriving at the home were forced to take Callahan to the ground at gunpoint when he became combative, Hohn said, but two officers were injured in a struggle to put Callahan in cuffs when he continued to struggle. 

Two officers were taken to Stamford Hospital and treated for wounds caused by rolling around in glass and released, Hohn said. 

Bester was charged with second-degree breach of peace and interfering with an officer/resisting for the earlier incident.

Callahan was charged with third-degree burglary, second-degree reckless endangerment, third-degree criminal mischief, carrying a dangerous weapon, interfering with an officer/resisting and two counts second-degree threatening in the later incident.