FOX LAKE — Looking back on a nearly seven-hour standoff between police and a man armed with a rifle that ended early Friday morning, Fox Lake Police Chief Randy Martin said there's silver lining in the situation.

"The silver lining is that nobody got seriously hurt and all the officers went home and slept in their own beds," Martin said.

Ronald Shurpit, 50, surrendered to police shortly after 1 a.m., and April L. Amond, 41, who police have identified as Shurpit's "female accomplice," was taken into custody shortly after the situation unfolded at 6:15 p.m.

Martin said an officer spotted Shurpit, who had a civil arrest warrant issued through Jefferson County for failure to support a child, mowing his lawn at 103 W. State St., in Fox Lake at 6:15 p.m.

When the officer approached Shurpit to discuss the warrant, "Mr. Shurpit lunged the mower toward the officer to keep the officer away from him. The officer actually had to put his foot up against the motor of the gas lawnmower to protect himself."

Martin said the officer and Shurpit scuffled in the yard before Amond joined in, and provided Shurpit with a rifle before she fled the scene in a vehicle. A town of Fox Lake police officer arrested her a short time later, however, Shurpit barricaded himself inside the home.

Assisting the Fox Lake Police Department with the situation were, the Dodge County Sheriff's tactical team, Green Lake County Sheriff's Department, Beaver Dam police and Dodge County Emergency Management.

Martin said customers from the neighboring Kwik Trip and Mullin's Drive-In were evacuated along with residents from approximately10 homes.

"Some people actually left the residences. Other people were allowed basically to stay in a safe location in the house. As far as people displaced out of their home, it was pretty minimal," he said.

Police fired rounds of tear gas into Shurpit's home, which Martin said some neighbors mistook for gunfire.

"When you deploy the gas, you use a firearm to do that. But you actually use a blank round that propels a little canister of gas into the house. It actually is a gunshot, but people in this area heard the gas being deployed, and there was concern within earshot of the scene that there was a long gun battle going on with the suspect shooting back at the police, and the police shooting at him. That was absolutely not the case," Martin said.

A Dodge County Sheriff's Department tactical team negotiator spoke with Shurpit sporadically throughout the standoff. Martin said he mad a number of minor demands.

"He could see one of the fire trucks blocking traffic, and he wanted it moved farther down the road so he couldn't see it. Why, I don't know. Another was the original officer, he didn't want him at the scene," Martin said.

Shurpit surrendered to police just after 1 a.m. The officer who initially confronted Shurpit suffered minor injuries in the scuffle, Martin said. There were no other injuries reported.

"I couldn't be happier with the cooperation between all the departments. The cooperation between the sheriff's department, Green Lake County Sheriff's Department, Dodge County Emergency Management, town of Fox Lake, city of Beaver Dam police departments. It's very comforting to know that you can get a group of people all working toward the same goal: Everyone being safe and that's exactly what happened," Martin said.

According to online court records, Shurpit was convicted of fourth degree sexual assault and intimidating a witness in Dane County In 2000. He was sentenced to 24 months of probation in that case. He has also been convicted of driving drunk twice. He served 90 days in jail for his most recent conviction in 2003.

"His record indicates there may have been some violence, certainly nothing against an officer," Martin said.

Shurpit and Almond were both transported to Dodge County Jail, and charges will be referred to the District Attorney's office for review.

amartin@capitalnewspapers.com