BELLINGHAM — A 24-year-old Bellingham man was found dead in his home following a four-hour standoff that began when he brandished an object that police said appeared to be a handgun.

David Duncan Clark was found dead about 9:30 p.m. Friday after police fired at him and then broke down the door to his home. His cause of death was not announced.

Police told The Bellingham Herald that the object wielded by Clark turned out to be a toy gun.

Lt. Steve Felmley says the incident began about 5:30 p.m. Friday after reports that Clark and three other individuals were acting disorderly and throwing items out the windows of Clark’s home.

Three of the individuals left without trouble, but police called in their SWAT team and blocked off streets in a four-block area when Clark displayed what appeared to be a gun from the front porch of the home.

Felmley says police shot at Clark with immobilizing beanbags and bullets after he charged at officers. Clark then retreated into the house and officers fired several canisters of tear gas into it before breaking in and finding him dead.

Two officers who fired their weapons during the standoff were placed on leave pending an internal police review and review by the Whatcom County prosecutor’s office.