Staff Report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – On Thursday evening, authorities arrested Marshall W. Durocher, 63, on charges of firearm possession by a convicted felon following a tense standoff lasting over an hour. Durocher, who had been previously detained on October 1 for driving with a revoked license, was found unwilling to distance himself from a weapon during the incident.

At approximately 5:50 p.m. on October 9, deputies from the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to a residence in Arrendondo Estates. A report had been made by Durocher’s roommate, who claimed that after a heated argument, Durocher left their home armed with a loaded shotgun. Upon arrival, deputies discovered Durocher seated inside an SUV parked outside the residence, with the shotgun directed at his own head. The situation prompted a robust response, including the Negotiation Response Team, the Bomb Squad Robot Operator, a K-9 Unit, and Mental Health Co-Responders. As a precaution, the surrounding road was closed, and residents were advised to remain indoors.

Despite acknowledging the deputies’ instructions to surrender the weapon, Durocher resisted compliance for more than an hour. Eventually, he dropped the shotgun to the ground; however, he continued to ignore commands to step away from it. To ensure safety, authorities employed a robot to safely retrieve the firearm.

For footage capturing the incident and the robot’s retrieval of the shotgun, click here.

After the shotgun was removed, Durocher was arrested for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He has four felony convictions (one violent) and two misdemeanor convictions (one violent); he was arrested on October 1 for driving with a revoked license and released the next day on his own recognizance. Judge Jonathan Ramsey set bail at $25,000 on the new charge.

Articles about arrests are based on reports from law enforcement agencies. The charges listed are taken from the arrest report and/or court records and are only accusations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.