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Charges are pending against a 54-year-old man who held his mother hostage at their house on  Old Farm Road this evening.

Captain Bobby Martin of the Roanoke Rapids Police Department declined to specifically say what charges would be filed against Mark Reber.

Records show Reber has a court date Friday in Halifax County to answer to charges of resisting a public officer, assault by pointing a gun and cyberstalking, which are all misdemeanors.

Martin said it was a combination of officers familiar with Reber and his family who successfully talked him into surrendering after nearly three hours of keeping his mother in a bedroom. Reber finally allowed the officers to come inside.

Police had been to the Reber house earlier in the day to check on an elderly woman at the house.

Around 5 p.m. officers came back after receiving another disturbance call.

When Reber came to the door officers saw he had a weapon. Martin said while the man never drew the weapon on the officers, they retreated.

That’s when officers familiar with the man began negotiating. “They did an excellent job,” Martin said. “They had issues with him in the past. The officers did what they were trained to do.”

Several other agencies came in for assistance during the ordeal, which ended around 7:45 p.m. “It’s good to know you can depend on other agencies in a time of need,” Martin said.

Reber took to Facebook for about an hour doing a live-stream of the situation. At its peak, the video received about 900 views, Martin said.

On the second visit to the house officers came to serve Reber involuntary commitment papers and an emergency custody order for his mother to get her into a safe place, Chief Chuck Hasty said earlier this evening.