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Audio: Dodge County Sheriff Todd Nehls on 620WTMJ's "Wisconsin's Morning News."

FOX LAKE - A man, wanted for failing to pay child support, attacked an arresting officer with a push lawn mower, then armed himself with a rifle and barricaded himself inside his home.

That led to a seven-hour standoff that didn't end until early Friday morning where officers had to use 100 canisters of gas and irritants to force him out.

"We've been after him for quite some time," explained Dodge County Sheriff Todd Nehls. "The local Fox Lake police officers checked occasionally at his residence.

"It happened to be last night at about 6:15 p.m. A Fox Lake officer observed him mowing his lawn in his backyard and confronted him."

The suspect, 50-year-old Ronald Shurpit, then escalated the confrontation with his new Lawnboy.

"The guy was push mowing his lawn and the officer confronted him to take him into custody," explained Nehls.

"He kept shoving the lawnmower at the law enforcement officer with the mower running. The blades were quite dangerous. The officer had to kick the lawnmower back and keep it from causing him harm.

"It escalated from there. He finally ran into the house. The officer tackled him at the back door. His girlfriend got involved. Pepper spray was used, tasers. Pretty soon, he yelled for his girlfriend to get the gun to shoot the cop. Next thing you know, he was yelling for the girlfriend to get the gun to shoot the cop. There's an introduction of a firearm into the scuffle." 

The officer arrested the woman, but Shurpit was able to barricade himself inside the home.

The Dodge County SWAT team was called out and the Green Lake Area Combined Tactical Team was called in to help. 

Area homes were evacuated, and several other families were told to shelter in place. Two businesses were closed and state Highway 33 was detoured during the incident.

"We continually filled the house with cans of gas and irritants in an effort to force him out of the house.  He took 100 canisters last night."

"I don't think his house is going to be worth anything. I think there was one window left in it when I looked this morning. That's the way we do it.

"There's no sense to putting people's lives at risk enforcing the situation when the guy's got high-powered rifles. We just kept blowing him with the gas, and eventually we were able to identify him and where he was in the house and take him into custody."

Shurpit was arrested at 1:00 a.m. Friday.

Nehls called it a great end to a difficult situation. There were no injuries or loss of life. Nehls called it "superb teamwork. It was text book," he said.

He also explained how the house is nearly a total loss.

"You can't stand even being near it as it's being aired out right now. He put things over his face and over his eyes.   Alcohol and potentially drugs increases his threshold to fight off the irritants, but eventually the irritants won.

"If and when he gets out of jail and takes a look at the house that he owns, he's going to take a look at the condition of his house and wish he never escalated the event."