Berkley Man Barricades Himself Inside Royal Oak Business, Fires Shots

The Southeast Oakland SWAT team was called Friday night after a Berkley man barricaded himself inside a business in Royal Oak and began shooting up the building.

Royal Oak Police responded to calls of a fight outside of LGM Landscaping at 5025 Leafdale Blvd. at approximately 7:30 p.m., Interim Police Chief Corrigan O’Donohue said Monday.

When police arrived, they located family members of Benjamin Carl Farlow-Wolgast, a 40-year-old Berkley resident, in the parking lot. The family confirmed Farlow-Wolgast was in some sort of squabble and that he was armed and threatened to killed himself if police were called, O’Donohue said.

Responding officers heard five or six shots inside the building, and the SWAT team, which assists with dangerous situations such as barricaded gunmen, was called, O’Donohue said.

The SWAT team quickly arrived in a large armored vehicle and was able to illuminate the building, according to the chief. The SWAT team made contact with Farlow-Wolgast and, after a short stand-off, he agreed to exit the business unarmed, though he did struggle with arresting officers, O’Donohue said.

Farlow-Wolgast, who was intoxicated, was taken to Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak for psychological evaluation, according to police reports. During the transport, he kicked the rear door of a police car several times causing damage to the vehicle, the reports said.

The Southeast Oakland SWAT team responded in 2009 to a similar situation at Farlow-Wolgast's home in Berkley, O'Donohue said.

During that incident, Farlow-Wolgast barricaded himself inside his home and fired at least one shot. After a several hours, Farlow-Wolgast surrendered, according to police reports.

Farlow-Wolgast was arraigned Sunday before Judge Judith Holtz at the Sixth Circuit Court in Pontiac on one count of malicious destruction of property (a four-year felony), and two counts of resisting and obstructing a police officer (a two-year felony) and bond was set at $10,000, according to Lt. Tom Goad of the Royal Oak Police.