Jessie Evans

The suspect in a standoff is in custody after briefly managing to escape his home.

Police say suspect Jessie Evans had actually slipped away early on during the standoff, but officers did not realize it until they had gotten the suspect's children safely away from the home.

The situation started after the suspect's wife called police and said she had been assaulted by her husband. The wife told officers that she had been able to get away from the house, but that her husband and five children between the ages of 2 and 11 were still inside. Police say she believed her husband was suicidal, and reported that there were a lot of weapons inside the home.

Officers surrounded the home, located on Zion Drive near Airport and South Circle, shortly after noon Sunday and ordered neighbors to stay inside their homes. The kids came outside to play in the backyard and officers were able to escort them away from the house.

After getting the kids away from the house, officers made contact with Evans by phone. They say he first refused to come out, then eventually admitted that he wasn't at home at all. Evans finally told officers he was in the area of the MLK Bypass; police responded to the area and took him into custody without incident.

Evans, 32, faces charges of felony menacing, felony false imprisonment and third-degree assault.