A Hudson Valley man died early Friday morning after a violent standoff with police, but the cause of death is still a mystery.

New York State Police say they responded to reports of a barricaded man with a gun just after 12pm on Thursday. Upon arriving at the scene, officers say they found Christoper Pesavento armed and holed up in a residence on Quaker Bridge Road in the Town of Cortland.

The 50-year-old man from Croton-On-Hudson refused to surrender peacefully and ignored attempts from crisis negotiators to defuse the situation. A safe perimeter was put up around the home and talks with the man continued for almost 12 hours.

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At one point during the standoff police say Pesavento "fired multiple rounds" at officers from inside the home. Two Westchester Police Department officers who were assisting the State Police were struck by bullets. The wounds were not life-threatening and both officers were treated at a local hospital and quickly released.

After midnight on Friday police confirmed that Pesavento was dead. However, they did not say that they suspected suicide. Troopers claim that no members of law enforcement discharged their weapons but did note that "less than lethal methods were utilized in an attempt to force a peaceful surrender."

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It's common practice for police to use items like flash grenades in standoff situations. These devices let off a loud explosion and bright lights in an attempt to disorient and stun a subject. Although categorized as a non-lethal weapon, there have been cases where people were injured or even killed by them. It's unclear if a flash grenade was used or what other devices were employed in an attempt to get the situation under control.

An investigation is underway led by the Westchester Medical Examiner’s Office to determine the cause of death.

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