UPDATE: Hours-long standoff over after suspect shoots self – no officers injured during earlier gun battle

UPDATED:, Sunday, Nov. 11, 1:07 p.m.

See original story, photos, and videos below.

HEMET — Officers at the scene of an ongoing barricaded standoff after an officer involved gun battle inside Whispering Pines Apartments reported hearing a single, muffled gunshot shortly after 1 p.m. Officers had previously reported the man had shot at them after a routine traffic stop near or behind Big Lots in Hemet.

It was not immediately known who the alleged gunman might have shot at or if the suspect shot himself, but the man had previously reported being shot and wounded during one of the exchanges of gunfire with officers.

During earlier negotiations the alleged gunman indicated he wanted to die and made repeated requests to speak with his wife before suddenly saying he had to go. The single, muffled gunshot was heard just moments later.

Officials are continuing preparations to make entry into the residence where the man repeatedly fired at officers through a locked door where he was barricaded, and have been seen moving ballistic equipment into place to make entry into the apartment.

Official radio traffic indicated about 1:15 p.m. that a sheriff’s robot had been sent into the residence, as officers continued efforts to encourage the man to come out and surrender to them.

Moments later radio traffic indicated the robot had located a man down inside the bathroom, with what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. Despite the apparent gunshot injury, officers manning the robot reported the alleged suspect was still breathing and still in possession of a handgun.

As of 1:20 p.m., SOU officers were preparing to make entry into the bathroom to provide medical care to the alleged gunman.

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

Eddie George/Hemet News video

 

UPDATE: Barricaded standoff ongoing after gun battle inside apartment complex

See original story below, photos, and videos below.

UPDATED: Sunday, Nov. 11, 11:45 a.m., With additional details and information.

UPDATED: Sunday, Nov. 11, 1 p.m., With Hemet News live videos from scene.

HEMET — Shortly before 11:20 a.m., officers who were searching for a man who allegedly shot at them were flagged down by a resident at Whispering Pines Apartments and advised that a man had gained entry into their apartment and fled into a bathroom.

Moments later, official radio traffic indicated that officers who responded to the apartment found the bathroom locked and immediately came under fire by an unknown person who had barricaded himself inside and was shooting at them through the bathroom door.

Several officers reportedly returned fire, even as the gunman continued shooting at them from behind the locked bathroom door. No officers were injured during the exchange of gunfire.

Officials immediately requested additional resources, including an armored tactical rescue vehicle, less-lethal options, ballistic shields, and more. Officers also requested a SWAT call-out due to the man being barricaded and Hemet-Murrieta Joint Special Operations Unit was quickly activated and headed to the scene.

Officers soon reported making telephone contact with the alleged gunman and began negotiations with the man, who was reportedly shot and injured during the exchange of gunfire inside the apartment.

As the tense standoff and negotiations continued, firefighters, paramedics, and AMR, began to stage in the area, ready to respond to any police, civilian, or suspect injuries.

Officers have begun to evacuate all the apartments surrounding the active and ongoing incident, and are working to guide citizens away from the extremely dangerous scene.

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

Eddie George/Hemet News live video

Eddie George/Hemet News live video

 

Original story: BREAKING: Parts of Hemet locked down, officers searching for man who shot at them

HEMET — Very few details have been confirmed after local, county, and state law enforcement agencies from throughout southwest Riverside County converged on the city of Hemet this morning after officers reported being shot at. Official radio traffic indicates that officers at the scene have recovered at least one 9 mm shell casing in the area where the shooting happened.

At this time the alleged shooter has not been located and officers have established a large perimeter in the area of N. Yale St. and Florida Ave. where the shooting happened, as they seek the man they say fired a handgun at them.

LEADING THE RCNS HEADLINES:

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Officials are currently searching for the suspected gunman, described as a Hispanic male, about 200 pounds, wearing a black hoodie and black shorts, and several residents on Yale St. have reported a man with similar description going door to door asking to be let in to use the bathroom.

Three K-9’s, including a bloodhound tracking dog, are now at the scene assisting in the search efforts and a CHP helicopter has joined the search and has been seen circling over the area, while providing over-watch and giving constant updates to officers on the ground.

As officers were continuing their search, reports came in that a subject wearing a red hoodie was pointing a handgun with a red laser at people in the area of n Santa Fe and Florida. Officers who had to be pulled away from the ongoing search and with help from CHP’s helicopter, they quickly located that subject and determined the person had a replica gun and was not related to their ongoing search.

Heavily armed officers, many seen wearing ballistic helmets and carrying large-caliber rifles, have been searching several apartment complexes along Yale St. and have been seen going door to door clearing every apartment.

Officials have established a command post at an undisclosed location, where all police and search activity is being monitored and coordinated and officials are asking citizens to remain a safe distance from the command center as well as all the ongoing law enforcement activity.

This is a very active and ongoing investigation and search, and all residents in the area of the police activity are being asked to stay in doors, not to allow anyone they do not know into their homes, and to immediately report any suspicious activity by calling 911.

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

Click any image to open full-size gallery.

 

Contact the writer: [email protected]

Trevor Montgomery, 47, moved last year 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 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.

Trevor’s assignments included Corrections, Patrol, DUI Enforcement, Boat and Personal Water-Craft based Lake Patrol, Off-Road Vehicle Enforcement, Problem Oriented Policing Team, and Personnel/Background Investigations. He finished his career while working as a Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Investigator and was a court-designated expert in child abuse and child sex-related crimes.

Trevor has been married for more than 28 years and was a foster parent to more than 60 children over 13 years. He is now an adoptive parent and his “fluid family” includes 13 children and 14 – but soon to be 16 – grandchildren.