Police have arrested a robbery suspect who allegedly held a young boy hostage for several hours in Newark.

Newark Mayor Ras Baraka says that the situation started around 5 p.m. Wednesday near 15 Hill St., about a block away from Newark City Hall.

Baraka says that a man walked into the building and robbed someone inside an elevator. The robbery victim called police and went to the police station to give a statement, according to officials.

Baraka says officers believed that the suspect knew someone inside the building and when they went to an apartment unit to look for the suspect he refused to come out. The suspect allegedly had a 7-year-old boy inside the apartment and may have been armed, according to officials.

A hostage negotiator and the SWAT team were called in. Nearby roads were shut down and residents were told to stay in their homes.

Officials say that the negotiator was able to convince the suspect to release the boy but that the suspect still refused to come out.

The suspect eventually did give up and was taken into custody.

Details about the suspect were not immediately made available.