A neighborhood in Glendale is reeling after the local SWAT team was called in to deal with a barricaded man. After a three-hour standoff, the man was left dead, and his daughter was left with the aftermath, which included her demolished home.
But it looks like she may be on the hook for repairs, according to Arizona Family, which has been reporting on the story since the standoff began. That’s because most insurance companies won’t foot the bill for damage that is incurred as part of a public safety operation.
Now, the public wants to know who should be paying for the damages that the home sustained, especially if the homeowner was the victim in all of this.
Here’s what we know.
A 59-Year-Old Man Was at the Center of the SWAT Operation
According to previous reporting by Arizona Family, police were called to the Glendale property after Jeffery Peters violated an order of protection. Officers got the call around noon and were dispatched to the home that appears to be owned by Peters’ adult daughter, who had taken the order out against her father.
Peters reportedly came to the door when police arrived and immediately began giving officers a hard time. Eventually, the SWAT team was called in to help. Once they arrived, Peters began shooting at the officers, prompting a robust response from SWAT.
While two police cars, two drones, and one SWAT vehicle were damaged during the three-hour standoff, the home of Peters’ daughter was destroyed.
Peters’ Daughter Needs Help to Pay for the Repairs
After the standoff, Arizona Family dug into the situation to see who would actually be liable in a situation like this, speaking with an insurance expert in the process. When asked who is left holding the bag, Brent Bartz with Integra Insurance told the outlet that it almost always falls to the homeowner, whether they were the suspect or not.
“If the homeowner is the suspect who provoked the standoff, coverage is denied due to the intentional criminal act,” he explained, adding that police typically have immunity in these cases. When reached for comment, a spokesperson from the city of Glendale said that any claims submitted about this incident would be sent to the proper place, telling Arizona Family, “City’s Risk Manager reviews claims as they are submitted. Should a claim be received regarding this case, it will be reviewed and determined whether it would be compensable.”
But according to the Institute for Justice, there are ways to get help with paying for this kind of damage. The organization says that they have taken on several cases over the years where they’ve brought lawsuits against cities and law enforcement organizations to help victims get financial support.
While it may do very little to help with the trauma Peters’ daughter suffered that day, hopefully she finds some peace in knowing that even if the City’s Risk Manager denies her claim, it doesn’t mean that she will be left completely without options.