HAYWARD — What began as a response to a violation of a court order Wednesday morning led to a more than six-hour standoff between Alameda County sheriff’s deputies and a man armed with a pellet gun who was also brandishing what was believed to be a stick of dynamite, authorities said.
A pit bull associated with the home where the fight took place also attacked the sheriff’s K-9 dog, authorities said.
The 31-year-old suspect was charged with two felonies: resisting a peace officer and possession of a destructive device. He was also charged with misdemeanors: carrying a replica firearm, resisting a police officer and disobeying a domestic relations court order. He was also charged with violating his probation and is being held without bail at the Santa Rita Jail.
The volatile incident began around 2:20 a.m. Wednesday, when deputies were dispatched to a home in the 21000 block of Meekland Avenue in the unincorporated community of Cherryland for a disturbance related to the man violating a restraining order to stay away from a woman who lives in the home, authorities said.
When officers arrived, the suspect allegedly brandished what later turned out to be a pellet gun from inside the home, sheriff’s Sgt. Roberto Morales said. That prompted additional officers, including the Special Response Unit, the Crisis Response Unit and drone operators, to respond.
Deputies were able to safely evacuate the other occupants of the home, but the man remained inside.
As officers communicated with the man, he also brandished an 8- to 10-inch (20- to 25-centimeter) object from inside that resembled a stick of dynamite and threatened to have a bomb, Morales said. That object later turned out to be “a makeshift device assembled with duct tape to resemble dynamite,” authorities said.
The man refused to surrender, remained uncooperative and continued to threaten officers for several hours. Some neighbors in the area were evacuated and those who chose not to leave were encouraged to shelter in place.
An “irritant gas” was then deployed inside the home by deputies, authorities said.
After the gas was used, a pit bull ran out of the yard of the residence and attacked the sheriff’s dog. Officers are unsure whether the suspect deliberately released the dog to attack the dog or if he let it out because of the irritant gas, Morales said.
The dog suffered a puncture wound and was bleeding from his hind leg after the attack. His owner immediately took him to a veterinary hospital for treatment.
Authorities said it turned out the pit bull belonged to the person living in the home who obtained the restraining order and the dog was returned to him.
As negotiations continued, the suspect eventually exited the house to avoid the gas, but then barricaded himself in the side yard.
He was finally arrested around 8:40 a.m. and taken to hospital for medical clearance before being booked into Santa Rita Jail.
Originally published:
