SWAT negotiator sings ‘White Christmas’ to get Pennsylvania shooting suspect to surrender

Nathaniel Lewis, 34 (pictured), from Pennsylvania fired at family and officers while barricaded in his home over Christmas and refused to surrender until a SWAT team member sang him ‘White Christmas’

A Pennsylvania man who fired at family and officers while barricaded in his home over Christmas refused to give himself up until a SWAT team member sang him a Christmas song. 

Nathaniel R. Lewis, 34, of Spring City, had holed up in his Chester County home and was letting shots ring out from the second floor, until he asked a member of the East Vincent Township SWAT team to sing him ‘White Christmas.’

Once an officer belted out the song, Lewis kept his word and turned himself in to authorities on Wednesday. 

‘It’s as close to a Christmas miracle as you’re gonna get,’ Chester County District Attorney Thomas Hogan told CBS. ‘All the SWAT guys got to go home to their families, and the defendant got taken into custody, but he wasn’t killed.’

Lewis, who Hogan said was stressed by the process of separating from his wife during the holidays, now faces 11 counts of attempted homicide of a police officer.

He will also be charged with attempted murder related to shooting at his sister-in-law, who was not injured, Hogan said.

Lewis was found barricaded in his Chester County home at around 7.30pm (pictured) on Christmas day by his sister-in-law, who busted in and was chased out

Lewis was found barricaded in his Chester County home at around 7.30pm (pictured) on Christmas day by his sister-in-law, who busted in and was chased out

The standoff started at around 10.30pm on Christmas night, authorities said. 

Lewis’ sister-in-law had gone to check on him about three hours earlier, at his home on Aftons Circle at 7.30pm because he wasn’t responding to family members, the Inquirer reported.

When she arrived, Lewis had already barricaded himself inside, but she busted in before he chased her out and fired four shots, police said.

Lewis was stressed by the process of separating from his wife over the holidays, Chester County District Attorney Thomas Hogan (pictured) said

Lewis was stressed by the process of separating from his wife over the holidays, Chester County District Attorney Thomas Hogan (pictured) said

About an hour later, Lewis’s estranged wife called asking police to conduct a wellness check.

Once the Chester County Regional Emergency Response Team arrived at the scene, a negotiator called Lewis using his wife’s cell phone.

Once in communication, Lewis talked about ‘killing police and shooting up the neighborhood,’ according to an affidavit of probable cause for his arrest.  

At 12.47am on Wednesday emergency responders reported hearing several gunshots from a second-floor window, as well as a shot fired from inside the house.     

Lewis's estranged wife called asking police to conduct a wellness check, leading to the stand-off beginning at around 10.30pm. The damaged door to Lewis' home is pictured

Lewis’s estranged wife called asking police to conduct a wellness check, leading to the stand-off beginning at around 10.30pm. The damaged door to Lewis’ home is pictured

Lewis fired shots from the second floor, striking an armored police vehicle (pictured), at 6.05am, prompting police to fire once into Lewis' home

Lewis fired shots from the second floor, striking an armored police vehicle (pictured), at 6.05am, prompting police to fire once into Lewis’ home

Lewis shot at police again at 6.11am and 6.15am, with police firing back both times. The bullet hole in the police vehicle is shown

Lewis shot at police again at 6.11am and 6.15am, with police firing back both times. The bullet hole in the police vehicle is shown

And then, at around 7am, Lewis asked to hear the Nat King Cole version of 'White Christmas' (album cover pictured) and a negotiator with more than a decade of SWAT team experience began to sing

And then, at around 7am, Lewis asked to hear the Nat King Cole version of ‘White Christmas’ (album cover pictured) and a negotiator with more than a decade of SWAT team experience began to sing

Lewis fired shots again from the second floor, this time striking an armored police vehicle, at 6.05am, prompting police to fire once into Lewis’ home. 

Lewis shot at police again at 6.11am and 6.15am, with police firing back both times. 

And then, at around 7am, Lewis asked to hear the Nat King Cole version of ‘White Christmas,’ Hogan told WGAL, and a negotiator with more than a decade of SWAT team experience began to sing.

With that, Lewis came out and surrendered.

Police entered the home and went up to the second floor, where they found shell casings on the floor, a rifle and two magazines on the master bedroom bed.

No one was injured throughout the 12-hour ordeal.  

Lewis was taken into custody and remains in the Chester County Prison after failing to post bail.

He has a preliminary hearing on January 7.

Lewis’  home, where standoff took place, is located near Pottstown in East Vincent Township. 

After Lewis came out, police entered the home and went up to the second floor, where they found shell casings on the floor, a rifle and two magazines on the master bedroom bed. Lewis was taken into custody and remains in the Chester County Prison after failing to post bail. He has a preliminary hearing on January 7

After Lewis came out, police entered the home and went up to the second floor, where they found shell casings on the floor, a rifle and two magazines on the master bedroom bed. Lewis was taken into custody and remains in the Chester County Prison after failing to post bail. He has a preliminary hearing on January 7

Lewis' home, where standoff took place, is located near Pottstown in East Vincent Township

Lewis’ home, where standoff took place, is located near Pottstown in East Vincent Township

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