UPDATE:
A short standoff in Bradley County ended late Tuesday morning after the man shot himself at the animal clinic he had occupied on Springplace Road.
The man initially came to the Appalachian Animal Clinic with concerns about a cat but left and returned with a shotgun, according to a release from the Bradley County Sheriff's Office.
Customers and staff were able to leave unharmed and the Bradley County SWAT team joined deputies and officers from the Cleveland's SWAT team on scene, beginning the standoff. After a period of phone negotiation with the suspect, there was no further contact.
Officers deployed a robot to enter the clinic and it was determined the man had died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound at the beginning of the standoff. No shots were fired by responding officers.
During the standoff, officers were assisted by the U.S. Marshal's service, Bradley County Fire and Rescue, Bradley County EMS and EMA as well as the American Red Cross and Cleveland 100.
"The use of the robot is truly a potential life-saver. We were able to determine the scene was secure by the use of the robot," said Bradley County Sheriff Eric Watson in the release.
"Cleveland Police and Bradley County SWAT teams worked together for the duration of the incident, working to contain the situation to the area around the vet clinic."
PREVIOUS STORY FOLLOWS:
Bradley County deputies are attempting to bring a standoff with an armed man holed up in an animal clinic to a peaceful conclusion.
At 11 a.m. a white male picked up a cat at the Appalachian Animal Clinic on Spring Place Road in Cleveland, Tenn., then shortly returned to the office with a long gun and confronted employees, Bradley County Sheriff's Office spokesman Ed Ramsey said.
"All the employees got out and no shots were fired," Ramsey said. It is not known why the man took threatening actions at this time, he said.
Other law enforcement and emergency agencies, including the Cleveland Police Department and U.S. Marshals, are on the scene to assist with deescalating the situation and to ensure it ends with no shots fired, Ramsey said.