BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — UPDATE (2:12 PM): The Bakersfield Police Department said a man who was suspected of setting fires to property and shot an officer with a pellet gun was arrested Thursday after a standoff in South Bakersfield.
BPD said officers received reports a man was setting fires to various properties at about 1 a.m. in the 200 block of Tollhouse Drive. BPD said officers talked with the man who then barricaded himself into a home and threatened first responders with a machete.
Alexander Fuentes, 34, of Bakersfield, was arrested at about 10 a.m. after officers used less-lethal foam baton rounds to take him into custody, said BPD. During the standoff, an officer was hit in the head by a projectile fired from the pellet gun, resulting in minor injury, said BPD.
Bakersfield City Fire Department put out the fires that were threatening nearby residences.
Early Thursday morning Bakersfield police were involved in a standoff with an armed suspect who fired at officers with a pellet gun.
BPD says they were called to assist city fire with a man who was setting fires on Tollhouse Drive just south of the 58 and east of Union Ave around 1 a.m.
When officers arrived, the suspect fired a pellet gun at police striking one officer in the head and causing minor injuries.
Police say the suspect then grabbed a sword and knife and barricaded himself inside a nearby home trying to set additional fires.
Police negotiators and family members are now trying to get him to surrender peacefully.
Officials say there is a heavy police and fire presence and are asking people to avoid the area.
