Eric Brady | The Roanoke Times

Ricky Davis is led from a house in the 1700 block of Campbell Avenue Southeast after Roanoke police and his brother persuaded him to surrender Wednesday evening.

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A five-hour standoff that started with the shooting of a police officer ended Wednesday evening when a man who had been holed up in his Southeast Roanoke home surrendered to police.

Authorities said Ricky Edward Davis Sr., 50, shot Vinton Police Sgt. Ben Cook in the foot before retreating to his house in the 1700 block of Campbell Avenue Southeast and refusing to leave. Officers quickly evacuated residents from their houses along the street and closed off the entire block with police tape. They also negotiated with Davis by phone throughout the afternoon, as did his brother.

Davis, who was already facing a drug charge, had vowed to his ex-girlfriend Peggy Harper that he would not be taken alive and would not be "sitting in the penitentiary for the rest of his life," she said.

But shortly after 7 p.m., an armored police vehicle from Roanoke County backed over the house's fence as officers called for him to come out.

Davis walked outside with his hands up, then followed instructions and dropped to his stomach.

A few moments later a cheer went up from the crowd behind the police tape as Davis could be seen, shirtless and in white pants, being escorted to a waiting police car.

Officers fired no shots and did not use any gas during the standoff, said Roanoke police spokeswoman Aisha Johnson. It was unclear Wednesday evening whether Davis fired any shots after retreating to his house.

Police originally thought two other people were in the house with Davis during the standoff and were not sure whether they were dealing with a hostage situation, Johnson said.

"I just prayed nobody got shot," said Davis' brother, Randy Eads, 55. "He'll probably spend the rest of his life in jail but at least he's all right."

Eads was one of dozens of Davis' friends and relatives who endured heat and a momentary thundershower Wednesday evening waiting for the standoff to end. As he saw his brother led away in handcuffs, he looked overcome with emotion. He felt, he said, "just relief."

Their mother was in Christiansburg waiting to hear the outcome, he said.

"Our mom's pretty sick. She's had heart surgery," Eads said.

The wounded officer, Cook, who was recovering at home, recounted the events leading up to the shooting and standoff.

It started about 2 p.m. when two Vinton officers, Detective William Sankbeil and Officer David Cooper, stopped by Davis' house to question him about a case they were investigating. Davis and two other people were sitting in a white sport utility vehicle.

As Sankbeil approached, he saw Davis holding a syringe with the cap in his mouth, Cook said.

The officers then called for Roanoke city officers because they were in their jurisdiction and because they suspected possession of illegal drugs, Cook said. Cook was about a mile away when he heard the call on his radio and stopped by for backup, he said.

The officers searched the SUV and found gun ammunition, and when they wanted to search Davis and the two other people, Davis stood up from the lawn chair he had been sitting in, pulled a revolver and started shooting, Cook said.

Officers dived for cover and, when Davis ran inside the house, they called for backup and set up a perimeter.

Cook was shot in the left foot. He knew he had been hit although at first it didn't hurt.

"You're already in that mind-set of defending yourself and survival, so pain was not there," he said.

Cook was taken to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital and treated for the gunshot wound, which shattered bones in his left foot. He was later released.

Court records show that Davis faces a pending charge of possession of OxyContin with intent to distribute. His criminal record also includes a 2004 conviction on a felony charge of malicious wounding, and he pleaded guilty in 2001 to taking indecent liberties with a child, also a felony.

"He's been in and out of trouble about all his life," Eads said. "He started 12 or 13 years old breaking into stuff, stuff like that."

"I've always tried to get him to stay out of trouble but he wouldn't listen."

Eads and Davis grew up in Pulaski but moved to Roanoke decades ago, Eads said. Davis works as a contractor and employed Eads' son, Eads said.

As police officers in bulletproof vests surrounded the house and crouched behind parked cars Wednesday afternoon, many of Davis' friends and neighbors said they doubted he would turn himself in.

"I don't think he's coming out of that house alive," said Harper, Davis' ex-girlfriend who lives in the house with him.

His next-door neighbor, Natasha Claytor, said Davis had been adamant for weeks that he would never go back to jail.

"He said he was not going to go to jail and he was going to kill himself if they came for him," she said.

But Eads said Davis struck a more resigned note when the two spoke briefly by phone about 4 p.m.

"I said, 'Don't do anything stupid. Come on out.' He said, 'Well, I guess I will come out,' " Eads said.

Claytor said Davis was a "good-hearted person" who was always willing to drive her places. Other friends and neighbors agreed.

"He's a likable guy, he just doesn't know how to keep himself out of trouble," said Debbie Overstreet.

Danny Brooks, who grew up across the street from Davis on Wasena Avenue and who has known him for 27 years, said Davis was a "stand-up guy."

"He's a good guy. He just made a mistake," he said.

A few hours later, Brooks expressed relief as he watched his friend being led away by police.

"I just didn't want them to shoot him because he didn't deserve that," he said. "I'm just glad he's all right."

Researcher Belinda Harris contributed to this report.

reed.williams@roanoke.com 981-3334

david.harrison@roanoke.com 981-3349