DETROIT (WWJ) – Three women are dead, three officers injured and a lone gunman is dead after a tense standoff between police and the barricaded man.

Since late Sunday night Detroit police have been on the scene of a barricaded gunman — at a home on Lamont Street off Seven Mile Road between Mound and Ryan roads in northeast Detroit — which ended with three people killed and three Detroit police officers injured Monday afternoon.

In a live press conference Monday morning Police Chief James Craig said the suspect, 49-year-old Lance Smith, was believed to have a hostage inside the home. “We know, we expect that it could be a very difficult situation. It’s a very dangerous situation so we are going to take our time.”

Craig stating that in addition to the Detroit police – SRT (Special Response Teams) along with Michigan State Police Bomb Squad are on site — and the use of a robot to enter the home is being considered.

The last verbal contact police had with the suspect was at 2 a.m. when police fired a third round of gas into the home.

Craig saying around 11 a.m. that “it’s not known if the suspect in the home is dead” or alive. “We haven’t seen any movement.” Earlier the suspect had been setting fires – police thinking that he may have been trying to burn the house down but it’s now believed that he was just trying to stay warm -as the heat is off in the house.

Some time after police robots were sent into the home it was discovered that the hostage was dead and the gunman had taken his life.

Police state the gunman and third victim lived together in the home as boyfriend and girlfriend.

Sunday evening at 10:27 police got a call about shots fired at the residence. Responding officers were “pinned down for almost an hour” said Craig. When SRT arrived to re-enforce the eight officers caught in crossfire – they were able to remove the three victims shot. Two of the victims, both women, died. The third victim, an off-duty public school officer, and husband of one of the victims is recovering from a non-life threatening wound.

A second Detroit police officer was shot — as he arrived on the scene and was taken to an area hospital by his partner — he is expected to recover.

A third officer had minor injuries and has already been released from the hospital.

Authorities state Smith had no criminal history and had not had contact with police. He also had seven guns registered under his name as a CPL holder.

In earlier reports police believed they had two barricaded gunmen, in two separate homes– while the neighboring person was taken into custody – police determined he was not a shooter and will be released.

Stay tuned to WWJ Newsradio 950 and [LISTEN LIVE] for more on this story.