Shots fired at Winchester residence leads to 16-hour standoff

WINCHESTER – Multiple reports of shots fired from a residence in the 32000 block of Armoise Drive in Winchester led to a nearly 16-hour standoff Friday, Sept. 9, according to Riverside Sheriff’s Sergeant Steve Fredericks.

Deputies from the Riverside County Sheriff’s Southwest Station responded to home to check the welfare of those residing at the residence.

When deputies arrived at the residential area they located spent shell casing around the residence, confirming someone had been firing a rifle in the area around the home.

Based on the numerous 911 callers who stated Gregory fired the rifle from both his front and backyard, as well as possibly from inside his home, deputies determined 66-year-old David Scott Gregory had possibly fired multiple shots from what appeared to be a rifle.

As a precautionary measure, homes surrounding Gregory’s residence and his adjacent neighbors were evacuated from the area as deputies surrounded Gregory’s residence.

Despite spending hours attempting to make peaceful contact with Gregory using multiple methods, including the use of a public address system, all attempts were met without success and Gregory refused to exit his residence.

Just short of 16 hours after the incident began, Gregory surrendered peacefully to deputies and other sheriff’s officials at 2:54 a.m. Saturday morning.

Based on evidence collected at the scene as well as witness statements, deputies arrested Gregory and he was booked at the Southwest Detention Center for a felony charge of reckless discharge of a firearm in a criminally negligent manner.

During their investigation, “sheriff’s investigators obtained a search warrant for Gregory’s home and seized numerous rifles and handguns, as well as a significant quantity of ammunition,” according to Fredericks. All were seized as evidence.

A jail record search revealed Gregory was being held in lieu of $500,000 and is scheduled to be seen in court at the Southwest Justice Center in Murrieta Sept. 14.

Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to contact Investigator Jeff Fisher at the Riverside County Sheriff’s Southwest Station at (951) 696-3000. Callers can refer to incident file number SW162530045 and can remain anonymous. Citizens may also submit a tip using the Sheriff’s CrimeTips online form.

 

Contact the writer: [email protected]

Trevor Montgomery spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg in an off-duty accident.

During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations, including the Robert Presley Detention Center, the Southwest Station in Temecula, the Hemet Station, and the Lake Elsinore Station, along with many other locations.