San Diego County Sheriff's Department: Standoff - Unincorporated El Cajon UPDATED

Press release from San Diego County Sheriff's Department:

09/22/2021 3:30 PM

A nine-hour standoff ends peacefully in the East County. 

It started on Wednesday, September 22 just after 1:30 a.m. when a 9-1-1 call was made from a home in the 1400 block of Willson Road. 

The caller told the dispatcher her husband had a gun and was threatening to hurt himself in front of their children. 

Deputies with the Alpine and Lakeside Sheriff's Substations, Rancho San Diego Sheriff's Station, as well as Sheriff's ASTREA (helicopter unit) responded to the home.

Deputies made numerous requests asking the man to release the children in the home, so they could address any needs he may have, but he refused. 

More resources were called in including the Sheriff's Crisis Negotiation Team (CNT) and Special Enforcement Detail (SED/SWAT).  The man inside the home was identified as an active duty member of the U.S. Military.  The Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) and a U.S. Military Chaplain who had a relationship with the man arrived on the scene to work with Sheriff's CNT.

After nine hours of negotiations along with assistance from the man's family, Sheriff's Negotiators talked him into releasing his children and surrendering to deputies just before 11:00 a.m.  The children were not hurt and reunited with their mother.

The man was taken into custody for a mental health evaluation and will face child endangerment charges. A report was made to Child Protective Services. Deputies seized 50 firearms from the home. Under California's Red Flag Law, a judge can issue a gun violence restraining order to temporarily remove firearms from the possession of a person who is considered a threat to themselves or others. 

This call highlighted the teamwork between different units within the San Diego County Sheriff's Department and relationships built with other agencies.  We are committed to bringing such calls to a peaceful conclusion and providing assistance to those in crisis.

If you or someone you know is experiencing a crisis, help is available. Trained counselors are ready 24 hours per day to offer confidential counseling and other services. Call the County Crisis Hotline at (888) 724-7240.

Media Contact: Lieutenant Anthony O'Boyle
Anthony.OBoyle@sdsheriff.org
Alpine Sheriff's Substation (619) 659-2600 

This press release was produced by San Diego County Sheriff's Department. The views expressed here are the author’s own.