Following a standoff with SWAT for several hours in Aurora on Jan. 26, Thomas Jon Kelsen surrendered peacefully and was arrested on charges related to him allegedly assaulting family members in Centennial the previous night. 

At approximately 4 p.m. Jan. 25, deputies responded to a home in the 4600 block of East Lake Avenue in Centennial, where a 48-year-old woman and her 78-year-old mother live, Ginger Delgado, a public information officer for Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office, said via email.

The suspect, who is the son of the 78-year-old woman and brother of the 48-year-old woman, reportedly arrived at the residence “and a family dispute began,” according to the email. 

Kelsen, 45, allegedly pushed his mother and violently hit his sister with a weapon before then leaving the scene, per the email. In a Jan. 27 tweet, the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office said Kelsen is accused of striking his sister in the throat with a hammer.

The sister reportedly called 911 after she was struck, Delgado said. She was allegedly seriously injured and transported to a local hospital.  

Around 7 a.m. Jan. 26, deputies learned the suspect was at his home in the 18800 block of East Colorado Drive in Aurora, Delgado said. Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrived on scene and asked the Aurora Police Department’s SWAT team to take over since it was their jurisdiction. 

Delgado said the police evacuated the two homes next door to the house and tried to communicate with the suspect for several hours by making announcements through a public address system, or PA system, but did not get a response. 

“We obtained a search warrant and arrest warrant around 1 p.m. and the SWAT team proceeded to breach a window. That’s when the suspect surrendered peacefully,” Delgado said. 

Kelsen surrendered before anyone from the SWAT team entered the residence, Delgado said, and there were no other occupants in the home. 

Kelsen was arrested on suspicion of three charges: second-degree assault, crimes against an at-risk elder and first-degree burglary. When asked about the burglary charge and what was reported stolen, Delgado said she did not have that information. 

As of Jan. 26, Kelsen was at the Arapahoe County Detention Facility.