Officials ID man who died after standoff with Va. Beach police

VIRGINIA BEACH

Officials have identified the man found dead in his condo Wednesday after a nearly three-hour standoff with police.

Detectives are still investigating the death of Michael T. Cerrigone, 32, and an autopsy report is pending, said Officer Margie Hobbs, a police spokeswoman, today.

It appears that the man died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound during the standoff, in which he exchanged gunfire with officers before barricading himself inside his residence, said Officer Adam Bernstein, a police spokesman.

Police believe Cerrigone was suicidal and had responded to problems at his residence in the past, Bernstein said.

The standoff occurred at the Inlet Colony Condominiums off Shore Drive, next door to Charlie's Seafood Restaurant.

No one else was injured. A bulldog was found shot inside the man's apartment, Bernstein said. The animal received medical care and will probably survive, he said.

The incident began shortly before noon, when police received a call from one of the Cerrigone's friends or a family member, expressing concern that he might hurt himself, Bernstein said.

When officers responded, they heard gunshots and entered the apartment, where he shot at them, he said. Police shot back and fled, he said.

The Bomb Squad, Canine Unit, SWAT Team and other special operations teams arrived soon after and locked down the apartment complex. Detectives then contacted Cerrigone through a family member, Bernstein said. But the line went dead mid-conversation and they were unable to reach him again, he said.

After several attempts to establish contact, officers sent in a bomb robot to scope out the residence. Then the SWAT Team went in and found Cerrigone dead in a bedroom, Bernstein said.

Among those locked down for hours was Melissa Consalvo, who lives in the unit below, said her boyfriend, Jim Callan, as he waited outside the complex Wednesday. He said he was out running errands when he received a frantic call from her.

"She was in the bathroom really scared," he said. "She said there was a lot of banging, yelling, doors slamming."

Jordan Logan was also locked out. She said she returned from a jog to find armed officers hiding behind the trees near her unit.

"It's been a really great place to live - that's why I was so surprised," she said. "It's shocking, really."

Kathy Adams, (757) 222-5155, kathy.adams@pilotonline.com