A police standoff with an armed man in Pinole this morning led to a shelter-in-place order that closed Shannon and Tara Hills elementary schools for the day and prompted Pinole Middle School to shelter in place. No humans were injured as a result of the ordeal, but the suspect is believed to have fatally shot a dog Sunday night, police said.
The incident unfolded about 10:30 p.m. Sunday when police responded to a home in the 700 block of Marlesta Road in Pinole after the 32-year-old suspect’s mother called saying her son was suffering from delusions, making paranoid statements and was in possession of her handgun, police said. The suspect’s identity was not immediately available.
After the mother left the house to meet with officers at a safe location, police received another call from someone reporting gunshots coming from the house. Officers responded and searched the house and did not locate any humans but found a pitbull suffering from at least one gunshot wound, police said. The dog died from its injuries.
Based upon bullet holes, casings and a large capacity magazine found in the home, officers deduced the suspect was in possession of two handguns. Witnesses said he left the area in a white Infiniti I30, which police were able to locate on eastbound San Pablo Avenue near Sunnyview Drive about 2 a.m., with help from license plate recognition cameras and cellphone information.
Traveling with headlights off and with police prepared to pull him over, the man turned onto Kilkenny Way from Tara Hills Drive and then pulled to the curb. He would then flee on foot west on Kilkenny.
A perimeter was established with help from the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office and Hercules and San Pablo police departments. Officers followed the suspect as he went north on Kildare Way. The man refused police pleas to surrender, repeatedly ducking between and hiding behind parked cars in the area, police said. A shelter in place was issued requesting that residents remain in their house, lock their doors and shut their windows.
Crisis negotiators responded and, just before 9:30 a.m., they were able to convince the suspect to discard his two handguns and surrender peacefully. The suspect never threatened the officers or other people throughout the incident, police said.
He was transported to the Contra Costa Regional Medical Center for a mental health evaluation.
Police say the incident remains under investigation and that they will pursue charges against the suspect including several related to firearms, such as being a felon in possession of a firearm, and animal cruelty.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Pinole Police Department’s non-emergency line at 510-724-8950.
