SAGAMORE HILLS, Ohio – Police arrested the school board president of the Nordonia Hills City School District after a standoff at his home Friday morning.
Authorities arrived at 53-year-old Steve Bittel’s home around 7:30 a.m. to execute a search warrant in conjunction with the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force because the school board president was linked to a child Internet crimes investigation, WKYC.com reports.
Police were able to enter the home, but within an hour, Bittel asked to use the bathroom. Bittel then grabbed his handgun and entered a second-story floor bathroom. When in the bathroom, he fired a warning shot from the gun.
The SWAT team was then called to the home. Bittel voluntarily surrendered shortly before 1:20 p.m., after speaking with SWAT negotiators, his wife and a friend from church, Cleveland.com reports.
No one was injured during the standoff.
Bittel also taught religious classes a St. Barnabas School.