FITCHBURG – Police Monday night were still searching for a man they said was involved in a violent domestic dispute on Summit Street that prompted authorities to evacuate homes in the neighborhood.

Police posted through social media channels Monday a photo of Sanderson Cuevas, who they said was believed to be armed and dangerous. He was wanted on charges of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, use of a firearm in a felony, possession of ammunition without a firearms identification card, and threatening to commit a crime.

According to police, they went to an address on Summit Street around 1 p.m. to investigate reports of a disturbance. They learned a firearm had been used, and that Mr. Cuevas was unaccounted for. Two addresses were checked, and Mr. Cuevas could not be found. Police said because of the "domestic violence nature of this incident," no further details would be provided. Police did not refer to a victim, or how or if anyone was injured, in the statement.

A large contingent of police had converged on a house in the Summit Street area where they evacuated area homes and apparently attempted to communicate with someone in one of the homes.

State and local police were involved in the standoff that lasted several hours in Fitchburg and eventually sent a heavily armed squad of state troopers in camouflage gear to an area in nearby Lunenburg.

Around 1:30 p.m., neighbors that lived on Summit Street in Fitchburg were escorted out of their home near a house that was behind Dippin’ Donuts and Gallo Video on Lunenburg Street (Route 2A), according to the neighbors. Police set up a perimeter around the home.

For several hours, all side streets that led to Summit Street were closed and a strong police presence, some armed with heavy artillery were patrolling the area. In the woods, behind the gray, two-level home that seemed to be the focus of the police action, a trooper in camouflage was walking with an assault rifle.

Under the sound of two helicopters flying above, a negotiator could be heard on a bullhorn.

At one point, the negotiator on the bullhorn could be heard saying: "This is not the way you wanted to start the New Year."

Later, the negotiator said “A lot of people who want to help can’t help you if you don’t contact us.”

He also said, “You’re scaring a lot of people out here and, yes, we want to know if you’re OK ... Haven’t heard from you in several hours”

One of the last things the negotiator said was “Come on … time to make the phone call, time to make that text-message."

Spectators lined up in the Dippin’ Donuts parking lot to watch the standoff.

Around 5 p.m., authorities used flood lights to examine the house and then broke a door in to get inside. Soon after, the scene was cleared but a bulk of the state troopers soon went to a different location in the vicinity of Massachusetts Avenue (Route 2A) and White Avenue in Lunenburg. It was not clear whether the incidents were connected.

Maki Building Center on Massachusetts Avenue (Route 2A) became an impromptu base for police, with at least 30 vehicles and dozens of Special Operations officers in camouflage and carrying heavy artillery.

Massachusetts Avenue in Lunenburg was closed between the intersection of Pleasant Street and White Avenue, near Walmart.

Around 7:30 p.m., state police began clearing out and Massachusetts Avenue was reopened.

State police and Fitchburg police did not speak to the media at either scene.

Police said anyone who knows Mr. Cuevas' whereabouts can call police at (978) 345-4355 or contact Detective Conrad at (978) 345-9650 Ext. 1242.