UPDATED: Officials arrest man who escaped during hours-long barricaded standoff in Banning

UPDATE: Thursday, Aug. 2, 12:30 p.m.

See original story below.

BANNING — Authorities yesterday announced the arrest of a man they say escaped from a Banning home during a barricaded standoff that last nearly 12 hours over the weekend. He was apprehended Tuesday afternoon, July 31, by members of the Riverside County’s Gang Impact Team.

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After his capture, 33-year-old, James David Britton was booked into Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility in Banning on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, terrorist threats, brandishing a firearm, and grand theft.

He remains in custody and is being held without bail; and is scheduled to be arraigned at an unspecified court tomorrow.

GIT members located and arrested Britton after Banning PD contacted them Tuesday morning and asked for assistance locating the man they say caused the hours-long standoff.

“A few hours later, GIT investigators located Britton at a friend’s home on Wyte Way in Banning where he was arrested without incident,” Riverside County District Attorney’s Office explained in a social media release after Britton’s swift arrest.

Along with the DA’s Office, other agencies with members assigned to GIT include FBI, ATF, Hemet PD, Palm Springs PD, Corona PD, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Border Patrol, Federal Housing Authority, and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Special Services Unit.

 

Original story: Officials find no one inside home after hours-long barricaded standoff

BANNING — Authorities in Banning were disappointed after a nearly 12 hour barricaded standoff ended with nobody in custody earlier today. The man officials were seeking is still on the run, according to officials.

Banning PD has said that a domestic violence-related assault led to the half-day incident that forced the temporary closure of a portion of W. Ramsey St., between Omar St. and Sunset Ave.

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Today’s lengthy ordeal began to unfold around 8 a.m., when City of Banning police officers responded to the 3900 block of W. Ramsey St. to investigate reports of a disturbance at a private residence.

When officers arrived, the man reportedly ran into a home and barricaded himself inside.

Early reports indicated a woman had been inside the home, but she somehow managed to escape from the allegedly armed man and fled to safety.

Officers at the scene requested additional resources and other Banning police officers and Riverside Sheriff’s SWAT members soon responded to the scene.

AMR medics and fire personnel also responded to the area and remained on standby for the duration of the ordeal.

Sheriff’s officials eventually brought several tactical vehicles, including two armored tactical rescue vehicles and armored battering ram, as well as a mobile command center, bomb squad personnel, and at least one K-9 to the scene to assist during the ongoing standoff if needed.

Nearly 10 hours into the incident officials deployed tear gas into the residence to convince the alleged suspect to exit the home. Heavily armed SWAT members eventually stormed the residence, only to discover that the man was no longer inside the home and had already fled the scene.

Police have not released the alleged suspect’s information or description, but they say he’s possibly still armed and has a felony warrant for his arrest.

During the hours-long standoff some area residents voluntarily evacuated their homes as a precaution.

As the dramatic scene was unfolding, Banning Mayor Pro-Tem Don Peterson posted on social media that officers were dealing with a hostage situation and requested that residents avoid the area.

Banning PD indicated earlier in the day that they would provide a news release late Saturday evening, but as a of this report no additional information or details had been released.

There were no reported injuries related to the standoff and it was not immediately known if there were any injuries related to the originally reported domestic violence incident.

Officials reopened Ramsey St. around 9 p.m.

This is a developing story that will be updated as new information is available.

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Contact the writer: [email protected]

Trevor Montgomery, 47, recently moved to the Intermountain area of Shasta County from Riverside County and runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes for several other news organizations, including Riverside County based newspapers, Valley News, The Valley Chronicle and Anza Valley Outlook, as well as Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County and The Mountain Echo in Shasta County.

Trevor 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, breaking his back and suffering both spinal cord and brain injuries in an off-duty accident. (Click here to see segment of Discovery Channel documentary of Trevor’s accident.)

During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations, including Robert Presley Detention Center, Southwest Station in Temecula, Hemet/Valle Vista Station, Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center and Lake Elsinore Station, along with other locations.