SHAFTER, Calif. (KERO) — A stand off that started around 9 a.m. just south of Shafter came to an end with the suspect in custody unharmed. The suspect, whose identity has not been released as of this report, was apprehended around 2:30 p.m. just outside of a home near the Red Wagon Cafe.
According to a release from the California Highway Patrol, a Kern County Sheriff's Office deputy spotted a vehicle related to a homicide suspect early Tuesday morning and later in the day officers attempted to make a traffic stop when the suspect fled the area on foot.
Jessica Peña who was in the area throughout the standoff said she heard the sirens, but thought it was just police moving through the area to another location.
“At first, it was just a pursuit. They were just finding someone that was a suspect. I didn't think anything of it at first, so I kind of brushed it off, like it was just like a police chase, and it wasn't going to be much after that,” said Peña.
Stephanie Santillana, who lives nearby, says she saw the suspect crawling around near her backyard and her first instinct was to get her children to safety.
“My dogs started barking, and I was by myself with my kids in the house. When I checked through the window, I saw the guy that was crawling right in the neighbor's, like right there he was crawling. And then I put — my first instinct was get my kids to safety. So I get my kids to safety. I ran outside and let the cops know, and I went back inside and locked myself in until my husband got home, and the police told my husband to get us out of there and to take us to the restaurant, to the Red Wagon for safety.”
According to CHP Lieutenant Frank DeLeon, the suspect was found hiding in a truck inside the perimeter and the investigation was a team effort thanking Shafter Police, Bakersfield Police and KCSO for their assistance in bringing the person into custody.
This article will be updated as more information becomes available.
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