The armed suspect who was hanging out yesterday afternoon at the parking lot of the Hobby Lobby store in Santa Ana finally surrendered to the police after almost 11 hours, early on Wednesday morning.
The SAPD responded to the incident at about 4:15 p.m. at the 1900 block of 17th St.
The suspect kept pacing back and forth, with a handgun in his hand, and was shouting at the police, who came from several departments including the SAPD, Orange, Tustin and the OC Sheriff.
The police officers were barricaded behind their vehicles the entire time with their guns drawn.
The suspect’s handgun appeared to be wrapped around his hand with a green cloth.
The incident began after the O.C. Sheriff’s Department attempted a traffic stop, according to the SAPD. The suspect exited his vehicle while armed with a handgun. That was the beginning of the long police standoff.
Police officers were seen searching a white pickup truck with an open driver’s side door that could be seen just behind police lines. It is not yet certain that this was the suspect’s vehicle.
All the stores at the shopping center were evacuated. The SAPD also closed the east and westbound lanes of traffic on 17th Street from Mabury Street to Tustin Avenue during the incident. Many shoppers were unable to retrieve their cars until today. The suspect inconvenienced hundreds of people for reasons not yet determined.
During the standoff a police robot brought the suspect water and a cell phone. The police also used a drone to keep an eye on the suspect and his gun.
Reportedly members of the man’s family showed up at the scene, adding to a very large crowd of people.
The suspect finally dropped his gun just before 3 a.m. and he gave himself up for arrest. The SAPD has not yet released his name.
