OKANOGAN — A seven-hour standoff between police and an Okanogan man early this morning ended with the man’s suicide, said Okanogan County Sheriff Frank Rogers.

The man initially threatened to kill his wife, and then himself, Rogers said.

After authorities helped the man’s wife and teenage child escape the home on 6th Avenue through a window, the man fled to a garage, but would not reply to several attempts to contact him, Rogers said.

At about 11:30 a.m., the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office responded with a robotic camera, which went into the garage by remote control and verified the man had shot himself, he said.

Deputies had crept up to the garage at about 7:10 a.m., and believed they may have heard a muffled shot, but were not certain, Rogers said. They backed off after seeing a flashlight inside, he said.

“He never talked to us from the beginning,” said Rogers, adding, “What a shame.”

No one else was injured and no other shots were fired during the standoff. Rogers said he had several weapons in the garage with him, and he’s not sure which gun he used to kill himself.

K.C. Mehaffey: 997-2512

mehaffey@wenatcheeworld.com