SAN DIEGO — A gunman who triggered a shelter-in-place order Sunday morning after firing at police was taken into custody Monday afternoon after barricading himself in a Mountain View home. The standoff lasted nearly 30 hours after the initial call came in over the weekend.
A SWAT team and police negotiators had been at the home since early Sunday morning and overnight into Monday afternoon trying to talk the armed man out of the home after he allegedly fired a gun at a house.
Officers responded to a radio call in the 4500 block of T Street at about 8:30 a.m. Sunday, when several 911 callers reported that a neighbor, 68-year-old Reginald Smith, allegedly had fired a shot while waving a pistol around and threatening to kill them, according to the San Diego Police Department.
Initial reports said the suspect pointed a gun at a neighbor and threatened to kill the person, the lieutenant said.
"Officers responded and tried to get the man to come outside," Sharki said. "He refused. Emergency negotiators and the SWAT team were called. The situation is active and ongoing."
At around 4:45 p.m. on Sunday, Smith shot at least one round at officers, Sharki confirmed to CBS 8. San Diego Police then asked neighbors in the area to shelter in place.
Esther Rendon lives just a few steps away from where it all happened and says she’s relieved it ended with no one being hurt saying, "My daughter and I got together, we said a prayer hoping that everyone made it out safe. Every time there was a loud bang or multiple or rounds fired, I always was checking on her, like ‘are you okay?’ My father is elderly, he lives with me as well. Just making sure everybody was ok."
Smith is no stranger to law enforcement. Sources at the courthouse tell us Smith has several restraining orders against him. We uncovered one restraining order filed just weeks ago from a neighbor who claimed Smith had harassed him on several occasions and feared that if police didn’t intervene, it could lead to violence.
Other neighbors told CBS 8 that Smith has lived in the area for several decades and was friendly and helpful for many years, but all of that changed a few years ago when he wife was diagnosed with a terminal illness and the stress greatly affected Smith’s mental health.
They say things went from bad to worse after she passed away. “It just got hard for him,” said neighbor Genel Wynn. “She was his rock. He was always going places with her. They always traveled and did everything together.”
Neighbors also say that police have visited Smith’s home several times over the past year and they’re glad he was taken into custody without any serious injuries.
Neighbors cheered and thanked police after Smith was taken away from the scene.
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