Baltimore blogger arrested after barricade situation

BALTIMORE (WMAR) - A Baltimore blogger is in police custody after a barricade situation that ended without incident Saturday evening.

Police say James MacArthur, 47, violated probation from 2002 after being found guilty for carrying a concealed deadly weapon.

MacArthur made several posts on twitter and comments on his blog, The Baltimore Spectator, that suggested that he knew police would be looking for him.

In addition, he posted several messages, to his more than 4,700 followers on Twitter, that could have been seen as threats to police.

Police responded accordingly with several units, including a SWAT team, to the bloggers address in the 600 block of McKewin Street.

The department says they were executing a search and seizure warrant at MacArthur's home where they found a sawed-off, 20 gauge shotgun with ammunition in a bedroom.

Police say that MacArthur was "disqualified from asserting his right to bear arms under the U.S. Constitution"  because of the previous conviction.

Neighbors tell ABC2 News that they were evacuated from the immediate area and could not return to their homes until the scene was cleared.

It took MacArthur nearly five hours to surrender to police.