Rock-throwing squatters lead to Hemet barricaded standoff
HEMET — Reports of several squatters who refused to exit an abandoned and boarded up multi-family dwelling in Hemet and were reportedly throwing rocks at a pair of City of Hemet Code Enforcement officials who had responded to the home to check for trespassers led to a barricaded standoff this morning, Tuesday, Jan. 22.
The abandoned multi-family building in the 400 block of Kimball Ave., between Gilbert and State streets, has been the source of numerous recent complaints from area residents reporting homeless squatters breaking into and staying at the location, despite “No Trespassing” signs posted on all four sides of the building.
LEADING THE RCNS HEADLINES:
Community on edge after peeping Tom captured on camera
This morning’s incident began shortly before 8 a.m., when City Code Enforcement officers put out a priority request for assistance at the residence and reported that people inside the abandoned building were refusing to exit and throwing rocks and other debris at him.
Hemet police officers who responded to the location eventually kicked open a back door to the dwelling, which they found had been barricaded with debris and trash from inside the boarded up complex.
After officers gained entry into the abandoned building, those inside still refused to cooperate and reportedly barricaded themselves inside the attic of the location.
Despite making numerous loud announcements for the squatters to come down from the attic, officers reported the trespassers continued to refuse officer’s commands. Officers at the scene eventually requested assistance from Murrieta PD’s K-9, who responded to the scene to help.
With assistance from Murrieta PD K-9 Kazan and his handler, Hemet officers swarmed into the building, methodically searching every room inside before focusing on the location’s attic, where the alleged squatters were believed to have hidden.
Officers eventually led three people from the dwelling, including two men and a woman, ending the hour and a half standoff. Area residents and witnesses later told RCNS the three apprehended had just been removed from the building the prior week and ordered not to return.
The trio was handcuffed and transported to Hemet PD for further investigation. It was not immediately known if they were arrested or what charges they faced regarding the trespassing and subsequent standoff.
This is a developing story that will be updated as new information is available.
Click any image to open full-size gallery.
Gary Rainwater photos
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 15 – but soon to be 16 – grandchildren.
Pingback: Horse running loose in Mira Loma hit by car, euthanized – Riverside County News Source