Man found dead inside Menifee home after hours-long standoff

MENIFEE — A man who officials allege was armed with a handgun and refusing to exit a Menifee residence was found deceased inside the home after an hours-long, barricaded standoff Wednesday afternoon, Aug. 7. Early reports from the scene indicated the man was possibly suffering a mental health crisis. Although officials have not confirmed that as fact, they did report the man had possibly assaulted someone prior to their arrival.

Yesterday’s dramatic incident lasted about six hours and happened on the 25000 block of Middlebury Way, a senior community located just northwest of Murrieta Rd. and Sun City Blvd.

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Deputies assigned to the city of Menifee responded to the residence in the Sun City area shortly before 2:30 p.m., after receiving reports of a domestic disturbance at the home, Riverside Sheriff’s Sgt. Wallace Clear later reported.

Deputies arrived “within minutes and contacted the victims outside the home,” according to Wallace; who said, “The deputies were advised of an adult male family member who brandished a handgun at them and was still inside the home.”

Deputies, SWAT members, and other sheriff’s officials flooded into a Menifee neighborhood after receiving reports of a man armed with a gun who had possibly assaulted someone before barricading himself inside a home. Johnny P. Kemp/Epicenter News photo

“After obtaining statements from the family members, deputies attempted to establish contact with the suspect and have him peacefully step outside,” Wallace continued.  

When those initial efforts failed and the man refused to exit the residence, deputies began cordoning off the street and requested additional resources and support to the scene.

“Following numerous unsuccessful attempts, the Sheriff’s SWAT team and hostage negotiators responded to the scene to assist with his apprehension,” said Wallace.

The normally quiet neighborhood was soon filled with countless official vehicles; as SWAT members, numerous armored vehicles, and a command center were brought to the scene to assist with the ongoing standoff.

As a sheriff’s helicopter continuously circled overhead, providing vital information and updates to ground deputies, dozens of heavily-armed SWAT members and patrol deputies could be seen taking up various positions around the residence. An armored tactical rescue vehicle and armored battering ram were also brought to the location, but were not believed to have been used during the incident.

As the standoff continued, area residents reported hearing several loud bangs, but officials did not report that any shots had been fired by deputies during the incident.

Sheriff’s officials kept area residents informed about the situation as it was continuing in a series of social media releases and Tweets, which can be seen below.

At around 8:30 p.m., about six hours after the incident began, firefighters and other medical personnel were released from the scene and a short time later officials updated that SWAT team members had made entry into the residence.

“SWAT made entry into the residence and located a deceased male … with an apparent self-inflicted injury,” according to Wallace and official Tweets.   

The man has not yet been publicly identified, pending further investigation and notification of his family.

When SWAT members finally entered the residence where the gun-wielding man was barricaded, they found him deceased from “a self-inflicted wound,” Riverside Sheriff’s Sgt. Wallace later reported. Johnny P. Kemp/Epicenter News photo

“Based on the death of the suspect at a time while Sheriff’s personnel were present and attempting to apprehend him; investigators from the Sheriff’s Central Homicide Unit assumed the investigation,” Wallace explained.

Law enforcement officials, along with investigators, forensic technicians, and coroner’s officials, remained at the scene throughout the evening as their investigation into the deadly incident continued.

There were no reports of other citizens or law enforcement officers injured during the standoff and the sheriff’s investigation is ongoing.

Anyone with information regarding this investigation is encouraged to contact Central Homicide Investigator Gomez at (951) 955-2777, or Perris Station Investigator Salisbury at (951) 210-1000. Callers can refer to incident file number ME192190073 and can remain anonymous. Citizens may also submit a tip using the Sheriff’s CrimeTips online form.

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Johnny P. Kemp/Epicenter News photo and videos

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 currently writes for or has written for several other news organizations; including Riverside County based newspapers, Valley News, the (now defunct) Valley Chronicle, Hemet & San Jacinto 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.

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