Timothy Maher, a disability judge at a downtown Miami Social Security Administration office, held three hostages for about 10 hours Friday inside a home in south Miami-Dade County before fatally shooting himself with a rifle after a standoff with police.

Maher allegedly held family members hostage and threatened the mother of his child with a rifle.

Miami-Dade police Detective Christopher Thomas told the Miami Herald that messages sent by someone inside the house said, “Help,” and, “We need help.”

It wasn't initially clear who the hostage taker was, but according to WFOR-TV, onlookers heard police negotiators address the man as “Tim” and “your honor.”

Police raided the house after hearing a gunshot, only to find Maher had killed himself. No one else was harmed.

Maher was arrested Aug. 14 on a charge of aggravated assault with a firearm after a domestic dispute at a home in El Portal.

This is a developing story and will be updated.