SAN DIEGO - An apparently distraught man who ransacked his Otay Mesa home Monday and made threats about shooting himself or police holed up inside when officers arrived, prompting a standoff that ended when he surrendered nearly three hours later.
A resident of the 4000 block of Coldwell Lane made an emergency call shortly after 1 p.m. to report that a neighbor had been smashing things in his own home, claimed to have a gun and shouted that he "wasn't afraid to use it" on himself or law enforcement personnel, according to San Diego police.
Administrators at nearby Juarez-Lincoln Elementary School put the campus on lockdown as a precaution while officers went to the seemingly suicidal man's home, SDPD spokesman Luis Roman said.
The suspect, a man in his 50s whose name was not released, spoke to the officers over the telephone but refused to immediately exit his home.
Shortly after 4 p.m., students at the primary school just to the east of the house were released to their parents.
Kids at Juarez Lincoln released to parents as stand off continues nearby @10News @5 pic.twitter.com/wjfUfoKniy
— Rachel Bianco (@10NewsRBianco) October 10, 2016
About 15 minutes later, the suspect exited his house empty-handed and was taken into custody, Roman said. It was not immediately clear if he would face criminal charges over the episode.
Stand off near Juarez Lincoln school is OVER . latest @10News @5 pic.twitter.com/XVhhVhgjzN
— Rachel Bianco (@10NewsRBianco) October 10, 2016
UPDATE: Man holed up in house leading to school lockdown was armed with a FAKE gun. Latest @10News @6,7 pic.twitter.com/jauK8SzESF
— Rachel Bianco (@10NewsRBianco) October 11, 2016
Police said the man was armed with a fake firearm. Police say the man does have a history of drug use. He was taken to a mental health institution with non-lethal force.
