Portsmouth police, defuse, arrest man who threatened to harm others in standoff

Portsmouth police helped defuse a tension situation Friday.

At 8:20 p.m., the Portsmouth Police were called to 30 Johnnycake Lane for a report of an individual that was threatening to barricade himself inside his residence.

According to Major Michael Arnold, Daniel Moffa, the resident, had learned that a warrant had been issued by the Rhode Island State Police for a parole.

Moffa had been making comments that he was going to harm others who were also on scene. Upon the officers’ arrival at the home, they contacted Moffa who exited the home with a steak knife in his hand. With their weapons drawn, Officers Michael Quinn, Matthew Daguanno and Sergeant Lee Trott spoke with Moffa who refused several times to drop the knife. After speaking with Moffa for several minutes, Officer Quinn managed to convince Moffa to comply with the order.

Moffa was then taken into custody on the warrant.

Moffa was later transported to the Intake Service Center in Cranston RI for the parole violation.