Portage, IN – A Saturday morning domestic battery call in Portage escalated into an hours-long armed standoff, prompting a full SWAT activation and eventual arrest, according to police.
Portage Police said officers were dispatched around 9:40 a.m. on January 17, 2026, to the 3000 block of Dutch Mill Street, where a female victim reported that her brother, Charles Murphy (39), had allegedly beaten her and broken her phone. She fled to a neighbor’s house to call for help, telling officers Murphy had access to several firearms.
According to police, Murphy allegedly smashed his sister’s phone, pushed her against a table, and struck her repeatedly before she escaped. Responding officers learned Murphy was possibly armed and had barricaded himself in a second-floor window, threatening to “go to full house gas” and shoot if anyone entered.
Negotiation attempts reportedly failed as Murphy refused to cooperate and made incoherent statements. Police say the department’s Crisis Negotiation and SWAT teams were activated after Murphy ignored surrender orders and began barricading doors.
After deploying chemical agents, officers breached the home’s front door. Murphy, who police said had a large knife, allegedly refused commands before being struck with non-lethal impact rounds and taken into custody.
Authorities recovered a 12-gauge shotgun, a sword, and multiple large knives at the scene. Murphy was treated at a local hospital before being booked into the Porter County Jail on multiple felony charges, including Battery Causing Serious Injury, Resisting Law Enforcement, and Criminal Mischief.
Police credited Portage Fire Department, NIPSCO, and the Porter County Emergency Management Agency for assisting at the scene.
This article was produced by a journalist and may include AI-assisted input. All content is reviewed for accuracy and fairness.
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