AGAWAM -- A man barricaded inside a Brookline Avenue home fired at least 20 rounds, including one that hit a neighboring house, during a tense, six-hour standoff with police in Agawam on Monday.

Police say they were called to 74 Brookline Ave. just before 5:30 p.m. Monday for a report of "explosions" in the Feeding Hills neighborhood. The explosions turned out to be gunfire, prompting officers to evacuate surrounding homes and secure the area.

After hours of trying to communicate with Michael Kerr, a 1975 graduate of Agawam High School, authorities gained entry around 11:30 p.m. and found him dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

For the first hour of the incident, Kerr fired roughly 20 rounds "in and out of his house, with at least one round striking a neighboring home," said police, who did not indicate what type of weapon was used in the shooting.

Police say they repeatedly tried to communicate with Kerr, including making some 40 phone calls and using a loudspeaker to try to persuade him to surrender. The incident ended after a Massachusetts State Police STOP team entered the residence and found Kerr's body.

"It's a tough thing," said Mayor William P. Sapelli, echoing reports that Kerr, the son of a former Agawam police officer, was suffering from health issues.

Mike Kerr was the son of the late Paul Kerr, a longtime city policeman, said Sapelli, who knew the officer well.

The mayor commended the community for remaining calm and coming together during the crisis. He also praised Sacred Heart Church on Springfield Street for providing sanctuary to evacuees waiting for the OK to return to their homes.

Local public safety officials did a good job of quickly securing the area to prevent any additional injuries, according to the mayor. "They handled it well," Sapelli said.