A man suspected of firing rounds at his neighbors' homes, injuring one woman, holed himself up in a Lemon Grove home Thursday, prompting an hours-long SWAT standoff, according to the San Diego County Sheriff's Department.
The SWAT situation on Longdale Drive near Skyline Drive started just before 8 a.m. when the man shot three to four times from his bedroom window, the SDSO said. 911 callers said the gunfire was toward a neighbor's house.
When deputies arrived, one woman was found wounded by bullet fragments, the SDSO said. She was transported to the hospital in unknown condition.
The seven-hour SWAT standoff ended when the man walked out of the home just before 3 p.m. and after deputies used chemical agents inside the home, authorities said. No injuries were reported.
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The suspect's mother, who was in the home for a portion of the standoff, was able to get out safely, deputies said.
SDSO described the alleged gunman as a former military member who experienced what they described as a mental health crisis on Thursday. That individual, whose name has not been released, was armed with an AR-15 rifle.
A neighbor told NBC 7 that according to the suspect's mother, he had recently lost a brother in a hit-and-run collision in another state and hadn't been taking his medication.
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"We are in communication with the suspect and working to convince him to surrender peacefully. We are told by family members that he might have other firearms inside the home," the agency said in a statement before the suspect gave himself up.
The authorities released a direct call to the individual through a written statement to police: "We ask that you work with and trust the person you are talking to on the phone. They are trying to help you. They want to get you to a safe place."
About 10 patrol vehicles, at least two SWAT vehicles, a law enforcement helicopter and a drone were surrounding the home. SDSO said crisis negotiators were attempting to get the man to surrender.
The Early Childhood Education Center was placed on lockdown and eight homes in the immediate area were evacuated, with the Lemon Grove Library open to those affected. Previously, the SDSO said 11 homes were affected.
No other information was immediately available about the incident.
If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or chat live at 988lifeline.org. You can also visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for additional support.
This is a developing story. Details may change as information is released.
