Fullerton: Schools Evacuated Amid Hourslong SWAT Standoff

02.08.2024 | 10:00 AM | FULLERTON – An hourslong standoff that prompted the evacuation of nearby schools came to an end when a SWAT team entered a home but did not locate any suspects, Thursday evening.

Police responded to reports of a family disturbance involving a male armed with a handgun inside a home in the 1600 block of Alto Lane around 10:00 AM.

When police arrived they instructed the occupants of the home to exit. Despite some occupants exiting, authorities believed the male suspect that may have been armed was still inside.

A SWAT team along with negotiators attempted to make contact with anyone inside but were seemingly unsuccessful. Around 6:30 PM, after about 8 hours from the time police were called, the SWAT team entered the home to find it was empty.

Schools in the area were placed on lockdown and later evacuated as a result of the situation, police said.

Detectives are continuing to investigate in hopes of located the outstanding male.

A couple claiming to be the owners of the home indicated they are in eviction proceedings with an court hearing scheduled for the following day, though both refused to appear on camera.

Additional details regarding the circumstances that led up to the standoff were not immediately available.

Junior Martinez

Junior joined the County News Service team in 2021 covering a variety of breaking news stories from fires to crashes and protests. As a Southern California native Junior excels in locating and responding to breaking news events.