Oak Park police in standoff with distressed person

Police remained on the scene of an hours-long standoff with an armed man at an Oak Park apartment on Thursday evening, according to police and witnesses.

Officers responded to the 1100 block of North Harlem Avenue shortly after 11 a.m. for reports of an individual “armed and barricaded in his apartment,” according to Oak Park police.

As of 6 p.m., Oak Park police officers and officers from the Cook County sheriff’s office were still on the scene “working to resolve the situation.”

Traffic was being diverted and the public is asked to avoid the area, police said.

Charles Shapera, executive director of Har Zion synagogue, 1040 N. Harlem Ave. in River Forest, said police asked them about 3 p.m. to move the children from their preschool, located in the synagogue, to nearby Concordia University.

“There’s some standoff with police,” Shapera said officers told them.

None of the children were injured and they were not told of the situation.

“The children knew nothing. It was like a field trip,” Shapera said. “We have not experienced this in the past.”

Albert Popowits lives in a condo along Harlem in the blocked-off area. He said at about 9:15 p.m. that the situation remained ongoing. “Everything is the same except now it’s dark out,” said Popowits.

“I’ve never seen so many police cars and ambulances in my life,” Popowits said earlier. The cars had all their lights flashing and were parked “end to end” from Division to Augusta streets.

Popowits said he was not frightened “at all” and residents in his 30-unit condo building were not asked to leave.

“It’s exciting — not a boring day,” he said.

Check back for updates.