Police identify man arrested after Parkston standoff

PARKSTON — Parkston police have identified the man arrested on charges stemming from an early morning armed standoff Saturday.

Parkston Police Chief Greg Reichenberg identified Nicholas Heisinger, 18, of Parkston, as the man charged with simple assault on a law enforcement officer, a felony, and obstructing law enforcement, a misdemeanor, after Heisinger barricaded himself against law enforcement in an apartment.

Reichenberg said Parkston police responded to a report of a disorderly person around 4:30 Saturday morning near the intersection of First and Elm streets in Parkston.

Reichenberg told The Daily Republic that when officers first tried to contact Heisinger in the apartment, about 10 minutes after they received the call, Heisinger ran into a bedroom and produced a .270 caliber rifle.

“There was kind of a stalemate, per se, while he was in the apartment,” Reichenberg said. “The apartment was pretty well destroyed when we got in there, and there were just items … whatever you can think of was just all over the floor there.

“He was just right in the midst of it, chucking stuff at us."

The police chief said once officers knew there was a weapon involved, they backed out of the apartment, and along with the Hutchinson County Sheriff’s Office set up a perimeter around the apartment.

“The suspect could be seen walking around the upstairs apartment carrying the rifle,” a police news release said.

Reichenberg said officers don’t believe Heisinger lived in the apartment, but did know the apartment’s occupant, who was in the apartment at the time. The resident left unharmed after about 45 minutes.

“I don’t know if he was in any danger, but he got out on his own,” Reichenberg said of the resident.

Despite what law enforcement described as unsuccessful attempts to communicate with Heisinger, the news release says he exited the apartment unarmed and was taken into custody at about 6:30 a.m., two hours after the start of the incident.

Reichenberg said Heisinger could face other charges, but Reichenberg is waiting to confer with the Hutchinson County state’s attorney.

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