After he allegedly fired a gunshot during an argument with his wife, a 84-year-old World War II-era veteran held a SWAT team at bay at the couple's home in southwest Houston for nearly six hours early Thursday before he was arrested peacefully.

The standoff began around 1:30 a.m. after the homeowner, who identified himself as Gerald Lancaster, fired a shot as his wife was leaving their home in the 10100 block of Amblewood, authorities said.

He was arrested about 7 a.m., police said, and charged with aggravated assault.

Patrol officers arrived at the home after the gunshot, and later the Houston Police Department SWAT unit was dispatched because Lancaster did not come outside.

Lancaster was unarmed when arrested by SWAT officers who broke through a door at the home. He didn't resist, police said, and no injuries were reported.

Lancaster, in an interview from the backseat of a police cruiser after his arrest, said he had been drinking alcohol during the day and that he and his wife had argued. He said his wife had not been drinking.

‘Pretty tough gentleman'

Police said there were several rifles and handguns in the house.

Lancaster told reporters that he owns enough guns to “take down the whole (expletive) army if I wanted to,” but that he'd had no intention of using them.

After failing to coax Lancaster out with phone calls and pleas over a loudspeaker, SWAT officers fired tear gas into the home at about 5:30 a.m. But they said the 6-foot-3, 225-pound Marine veteran still refused to come outside.

“It's kind of unusual,” said Lt. A.J. Mihalco, of the Houston Police Department.

“He withstood the tear gas. It seemed like it didn't even faze him,” said Mihalco. “He's a pretty tough gentleman.”

Lancaster said he had been asleep during much of the standoff. He was surprised when he realized police officers had converged on his home.

Lancaster, a retired energy industry engineer, said he was a sergeant during his stint in the Corps, and responded tersely when asked how long he'd been married: “Too damn long.”

dale.lezon@chron.com