By JON BAKER

LINCOLN  ---  Police say  a 56-year-old Manville male brandishing a loaded shotgun ordered two repairmen out of his apartment building at gunpoint Friday morning, prompting a mass of police to race to the area and apprehend the suspect.

Huntley Westcott, a longtime resident of the Eagle Phase III Apartments at 81 Spring St., was arrested by Lincoln Police Sgt. Philip Gould and charged with two felony counts of assault with a deadly weapon.
He was arraigned before Judge Michael Higgins at Sixth District Court in Providence later Friday, then transported to the ACI, where he was held on $50,000 surety bail.
Deputy Police Chief Brian Sullivan said it was unlikely Westcott, a man familiar to local police, could make bail. He also said police seized a loaded shotgun and semiautomatic pistol from Westcott’s apartment.
“No one was hurt, but the victims were pretty shook up,” Sullivan said of Eagle facilities director Denis Fortier, 40, and his brother David, an electrician. “They were definitely in a great amount of fear.”
Denis Fortier said Friday evening “it was a pretty hectic morning,” but forwarded all other queries to Eagle Phase III Apartments owner/property manager John Bentz, who did not immediately return  a message left on his answering machine.
According to police, it all started shortly after 9 a.m., when the Fortiers knocked on Westcott’s Apartment 4 door on the second floor and said they wanted to inspect/upgrade the fire alarm system. According to Sullivan, the suspect then allegedly pointed a shotgun at both and said, “Get out.”
“The workers left the apartment right away, and -- when they did -- Mr. Westcott walked outside his door and held the gun in his arms,” Sullivan stated. “It’s unclear if he said anything else to them. That’s when they called police and said a man had pointed a gun at them. The first call came in at about 9:10 a.m., but we received several other 911 calls from those inside the building. Apparently, (residents) were pretty scared, too.”
Sullivan said Patrolman Russell Enos was the first to respond, followed by fellow officers Steven Tellier and Kevin Marcoux and Lt. Scott Vincenzi. Patrolman Jason Marquis, who had been on a detail assignment, also reported.
Not long after, three Lincoln detectives,  including Kenneth Smith, Dana Packer and Kevin Harty, as well as Sgts. Gould and Rick Kelley, arrived at the scene and set up a perimeter of approximately 50 yards “to make sure Mr. Westcott stayed inside his apartment,” Sullivan said. Cumberland and State Police also provided assistance.
“We had tried to talk to him through his door and also by telephone, and he gave up willingly,” he continued. “He knew we were there, and it was all over within a half hour or so, fortunately.”
Added Gould: “He just said, ‘I surrender. I surrender.’”
This wasn’t the first time police had tangled with Westcott. In November 2006, officers arrested him for disorderly conduct when apartment complex personnel attempted to enter his unit, again to upgrade a fire alarm.
“We’ve had dealings with him in the past, and they were similar (incidents) to this kind of thing,” Sullivan said. “He had been notified by letter from officials saying they would be seeking entrance (to the dwelling), and he threatened workers then. This time it was more serious because witnesses had seen a gun and told police that he had pointed it at somebody.
“I don’t know if Mr. Westcott has been diagnosed (with a mental illness),” he added. “We’ve dealt with him over the years, mostly as a complainant about vandalism or civil issues — nothing of a criminal nature, except for that situation in 2006.
“This was a serious offense, one of the most serious things we’ve seen here lately. It was a pretty busy and crazy morning, but it worked out well for everyone, the officers who responded and the suspect, who gave up peacefully. We’re thankful it went easy, and that it turned out so well. Hey, nobody got hurt.”