EL CAJON, Calif. — A military veteran accused of shooting at neighbors from his home in Lemon Grove pleaded not guilty Tuesday to three counts of attempted murder, and three counts of assault with a firearm.
Brandon Andrade faces 25 years to life in prison if convicted on all counts with sentencing enhancements for using a firearm and causing great bodily injury.
The San Diego Sheriff's Department said Andrade, 28, fired shots at neighbors last week from the window of his home on Longdale Drive.
The criminal complaint alleges the victims were all members of the same family, including a mother who was wounded while inside a car with her son.
Andrade refused to come out of his house for seven hours until a SWAT team finally used flash bang rounds and tear gas to get him to surrender.
A sheriff spokesperson said the alleged gunman was a military veteran who was armed with an AR-15 assault rifle.
A neighbor told CBS 8 Andrade was suffering some sort of mental breakdown following the death of his brother several years ago.
“His brother was killed in Las Vegas by a hit and run driver, and in my opinion, that's what set him off,” the neighbor said.
Andrade glanced over at his mother in the courtroom during his arraignment Tuesday. The judge said he would be held with no bail and set a future hearing for June 6.
His defense attorney did not comment after the hearing.
WATCH RELATED: Standoff with man armed with AR-15 inside Lemon Grove home ends (May 2023).