A wild scene played out Sunday along the Pleasant Hill/Concord border near Sunvalley Mall. That's where a gunman who barricaded himself inside a home fired several shots toward police and media.
The stand off started around 11 a.m. and did not end until around 4 p.m.when the suspect came outside armed with a rifle and was shot dead by a SWAT officer, police said. Police said the man held the gun in a threatening manner after he walked out the back door to get away from tear gas that had just been tossed into the home.
Police had reason to think he might fire at them because they said he did just that on more than one occasion earlier in the stand off.
At one point, photographers, reporters and officers outside the home hit the dirt after hearing shots fired in their direction. Police say the gunman fired once around noon and a second time a couple of hours later.
Negotiators were called and attempted to make contact with the man using a bullhorn.
This all started with a report of two men arguing around 10:50 a.m. When police arrived, one of the men fired off a shot before running into a nearby home.
During the standoff, a male victim with two minor gunshot wounds checked himself into an area hospital. He is believed to be a known associate of the man involved in the standoff, and has since been released, police said.
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It is not clear if the gunman chose the home at random or if he lived there. It was also not immediately clear if anyone was in the home.
The Sunvalley Mall was not evacuated and remained open. Some shoppers had trouble getting to their cars because of a police staging area. Security officers at the mall were sent to retrieve cars one at a time.
Authorities shut down Contra Costa Boulevard between Taylor and Viking and set up a staging area outside the Macy's.
At about 2:10 p.m., the shelter-in-place area was expanded to include houses on Christine and Audrey Courts and continues to be in effect
for the blocks of Audrey and Baylor lanes, according to Pleasant Hill police.
People in those areas were advised to go inside and close all windows and doors until they were given the all clear. Residents were also advised by police to stay off the phone except for emergency purposes. They were given the all clear just after 4 p.m.
Both directions of Contra Costa Boulevard between Golf Club Road and Taylor Boulevard were closed much of the day. Baylor and Audrey lanes were also closed to vehicles and pedestrians.
