Man in liquor store refuses to surrender until drunk

A gunman was holed up early today in an East Baltimore liquor store after a robbery — reportedly refusing to surrender until he got drunk, police said.

Shortly after 11 p.m., officers responding to a holdup alarm at the liquor store in the 2100 block of E. Biddle St. backed off after learning the gunman was still inside. Moments later, a man believed to be an employee fled the store and was led to safety.

Police surrounded the store and summoned tactical officers armed with rifles and tear gas. A negotiator also was summoned, a command post was set up at a nearby intersection and a police helicopter crew watched from above.

More than an hour into the standoff, the suspect was heard yelling, “I’m not coming out until I get drunk,” police said in radio communications from the scene. Officers were still waiting there after 1 a.m.