Man Involved In Standoff Has Been Identified

The man involved in the 6-hour standoff with Mentor Police Thursday has been identified as Antonio Iaconianni.

Iaconianni was staying in Mentor. He turned 24 today.

He surrendered to police peacefully at about midnight after hiding for more than 6 hours beneath a front porch of a home on Mansion Boulevard on Mentor.

Iaconianni is in Mentor Jail at the moment and may be arraigned this afternoon in Mentor Municipal Court. Though he has not been charged yet, he will likely face charges of aggravated menacing, carrying a concealed weapon, obstructing official business and inducing panic.

The standoff began at about 5:30 p.m. with an argument at the nearby Mentor Square Apartments.

A bystander who lives in the apartment complex, Orlando Figueroa, said two men -- one of who was Iaconianni -- were arguing and management called police to break it up. When officers arrived, Iaconianni ran away.

In fact, he jumped off a balcony to get away, Mentor Police Capt. Ken Gunsch said.

He then hid beneath a porch on a Mansion Street home near the Center Street intersection, said Gunsch.

Iaconianni had a handgun with him when he hid beneath the porch, Gunsch said. However, he had no gun when he surrendered.

Police found his suspected weapon, a .357, soon thereafter.

At no time during the standoff did the man have any hostages, Gunsch said.

Dawn Argie lives nearby the home where the man his. Police evacuated her and her family from their home. Officers told her the man was threatening to "kill everyone."

However, the standoff was resolved peaceably.

"He realized there was nowhere for him to go," Mentor Police Capt. Ken Gunsch said.

Gunsch said police opted to coax the armed man from beneath the porch with negotiation as opposed to forcing him out with gas or a water hose because they wanted the standoff to end safely for everyone.

"Our best option was to keep talking to him and for it to end peacefully," he said.