Police officers arrested Jonathan Miller, a Libertarian candidate for the North Carolina Senate, on Monday after an hours-long armed standoff in Cary, North Carolina. Authorities apprehended him around 3 p.m. after a bizarre episode that unfolded both on the ground and across social media.

Miller faces several charges connected to the incident, which began with suicidal threats posted online. The situation later included an interview with local news station WRAL while police were still trying to locate him.

Miller said he posted a suicide note on X that went viral late Sunday. Local residents saw the message and reported it to Cary police, prompting an officer to conduct a welfare check the following morning.

When the officer arrived, Miller had a firearm on his body. The officer instructed him to keep his hands away from the weapon, but Miller refused to follow the order and ran away.

Miller offered a mocking assessment of the officers pursuing him during the interview with WRAL. “They have been chasing me since this morning,” he said.

“They’re not very good at it. They really probably should get some more training on tracking somebody down,” Miller added as the search continued.

Police eventually caught Miller around 3 p.m. Monday. The armed standoff ended without gunfire, and nobody was injured during the encounter.

As officers pursued him, Miller posted updates about his movements on social media. His messages offered a running account of the unfolding standoff and included a suggestion that he might fire at police if they found him.

“The whole police department is chasing me with guns drawn. This should be fun,” he wrote before posting another ominous message about the search.

The whole police department is chasing me with guns drawn. This should be fun.

— Jonathan D. Miller (@JDM4NC) October 26, 2026

“I’ve got six shots and the high ground. I hope they don’t find me, but if they do it’s going to be a hell of a show,” Miller wrote.

About four hours later, Miller posted another update indicating that officers had nearly reached him. He described speaking with a negotiator while police moved closer to his position.

“F*** they almost got me,” Miller wrote. He continued, “They had some hostage negotiator type dude call me. While I was distracted talking with him on the phone they were moving in around me.”

“Luckily I spotted one of them and took off. Fuck that was close. I really should have brought some water,” Miller added in the same update.

Fuck they almost got me. They had some hostage negotiator type dude call me. While I was distracted talking with him on the phone they were moving in around me. Luckily I spotted one of them and took off. Fuck that was close. I really should have brought some water.

— Jonathan D. Miller (@JDM4NC) October 26, 2026

His final message acknowledged that officers had managed to surround him after he remained on the phone with the negotiator. It also indicated that police had dogs involved in the search.

“I f***ed up and talked to the negotiator on the phone long enough for them to box me in. They have dogs so I’m probably done for,” Miller wrote.

I fucked up and talked to the negotiator on the phone long enough for them to box me in. They have dogs so I'm probably done for.

— Jonathan D. Miller (@JDM4NC) October 26, 2026

Throughout the ordeal, 2024 Libertarian presidential nominee Chase Oliver publicly urged Miller to surrender to authorities. Oliver called on him to reveal his location and put down the firearm.

“Stop what you are doing and announce where you are and drop the gun,” Oliver posted. “Please stop. Folks want you to live.”

In another comment to WRAL, Miller discussed reaching a wooded area and suggested that officers might instead be guarding his apartment. He also said he did not intend to return there.

“I don’t think they pursued me very far,” Miller said. “I stopped looking back for a while once I hit the tree line. They should have caught up to me by now, but they haven’t, so I’m guessing they’re standing guard by my apartment. I’m never going back there, so that doesn’t really matter.”

After Miller was arrested, Cary Police Chief Terry Sult thanked WRAL for speaking with him by phone during the incident. Authorities did not fire their weapons, and the episode concluded without reported injuries.

Miller and Republican candidate Philip Hensley are running in the general election for North Carolina State Senate District 16. The district is represented by Democratic state Sen. Gale Adcock.

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