A seven-hour standoff ended Sunday after police sent a robot into a north Minneapolis residence to subdue the suspect with a chemical irritant, authorities said.

The 29-year-old man was then arrested by SWAT officers and taken to a hospital for a routine examination. He was booked on false imprisonment and reckless discharges of a firearm.

Police had said they believed the man had a weapon, but they wouldn't say whether one was found after making the arrest.

The incident began about 4:40 a.m. when a woman flagged down a squad car on the street and told police there was a domestic disturbance involving two men, a woman and a child, said Sgt. Stephen McCarty.

One man, the woman and the child were able to escape from the residence in the 3500 block of Newton Avenue N.

The other man saw officers arriving, and he holed up in the home. Officers tried several times to make contact with the man.

McCarty said nearby residents were told to stay in their homes and away from windows.

Chris Havens and DAVID CHANEN