Altoona man arrested after 10-hour standoff with city police
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A 39-year-old Altoona man was taken into custody without incident when he came out of his house Friday evening after a standoff of more than 10 hours.
The incident began about 10 a.m. when Justin Loomis reportedly came out onto the porch roof of his house at the corner of Spruce Avenue and Fourth Street with no clothes on and shoved a window frame with glass onto the street.
Police showed up, with others following in a SWAT vehicle and tactical gear and eventually a ROOK vehicle -- a skid steer with a shield attachment that can be elevated to provide a protective perch for police with rifles.
Police cordoned off the area for a block in all directions, although they didn't evacuate the homes within that cordon, so at times during the standoff, there were residents observing from closer than the police tape that marked the cordon.
Periodically, police would call out by loudspeaker, "Justin Loomis of 400 Spruce Avenue, come out the front door with your hands up. You are under arrest."
Police launched a drone, and eventually a second drone, and they began shooting out the windows of the house.
The drones had white lights and sounded like a cross between a bee swarm and a dentist's drill.
At one point, police tried repeatedly to break an attic window in back, but were unable to dislodge the muntins between the panes.
Shortly after dark, they drove the ROOK from a parking lot behind the house down an alley and into a neighbor's driveway, entering the backyard of the Loomis house and pulling up to the back wall, from which police behind the shield used lineman's poles to drag the muntins and remaining glass out of the attic window.
After that, they sent a drone into the attic.
They then began pulling out windows in other parts of the building.
Periodically there were shots, ones that were moderately loud that resulted in broken windows; along with several loud bangs that someone suggested may have been shotgun blasts aimed at windows.
There were also occasional popping noises that spectators guessed might have been tear gas pellets.
About 8 p.m., Loomis appeared at the window above the side porch, where there had been a light on for hours, and began shouting.
"I'm going to…I'm trying to find a cigarette," he shouted.
He then hung his head over the sill and began retching.
"I don't smoke with the cops," he said at one point.
"Come to the front door," officers shouted at him.
Someone on the street about 120 yards away said they thought they saw a gun in Loomis' hand.
"I'll be down," Loomis said.
"Go to the first floor door," an officer said.
Then an officer said, "Turn around," and he was taken into custody.
Altoona police did not respond to requests for comment on the situation.
He has a criminal history dating back to 2007.
He was named in a pair of active bench warrants: one for unresolved DUI and other charges in a 2026 case; and one for drug charges to which he'd pleaded guilty in a 2025 case.
He pleaded guilty to driving with suspended license in a 2023 case, a 2020 case and a 2012 case.
He pleaded guilty to a drug count in a 2013 case, two 2012 cases, a 2010 case and a 2009 case.
He pleaded guilty to retail theft in a 2012 case; a 2010 case; and a 2009 case.
He pleaded guilty to DUI in a 2008 case and a 2007 case.
He pleaded to possession of drug paraphernalia in two 2008 cases and a 2007 case.
And he pleaded guilty to criminal trespass in a 2013 case.
Mirror Staff Writer William Kibler is at 814-949-7038.