San Diego standoff: Police coax active shooter into peaceful surrender
A San Diego man who opened fire on police from his ex-girlfriend鈥檚 apartment complex Wednesday is in custody, authorities confirm.
After a five-hour standoff with police, Titus Colbert threw several firearms, including an 鈥淎K-47-type鈥� assault weapon out his window, before turning himself over to authorities. During the lengthy ordeal, police evacuated streets and homes near Colbert, creating a perimeter in the Bankers Hill neighborhood. Local schools were placed on lockdown.
No officers were injured during the standoff, but shots came 鈥渨ithin inches of police,鈥� San Diego Police Lt. Scott Wahl told The Associated Press. Police returned fire at Colbert, who was 鈥渟hooting in all different directions.鈥�
The standoff not only disrupted local traffic, but the Federal Aviation Administration also diverted many incoming flights from the nearby San Diego International Airport. Incoming planes fly low above the apartment complex before landing, causing the airport to take precaution.
By the end of the day, 鈥渁bout 30 arriving and departing flights were cancelled and another 30 or so were diverted to other airports,鈥� Ian Gregor, spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration told the AP. Planes were originally allowed to depart from the airport, but many were cancelled or delayed because of the lack of incoming flights.
Maggie Viger, who had planned a flight to Florida to meet her family, called the gunman 鈥渟elfish.鈥� 鈥淚 hope he realizes that his actions are affecting a lot of people,鈥� she told The San Diego Union-Tribune.
Colbert鈥檚 ex-girlfriend called police shortly after 9 a.m., Wednesday morning, from outside her apartment, after fearing Colbert was inside. When police arrived, they saw a broken sliding glass door and attempted to proceed into the apartment when the gunman 鈥渇ired several shots at them through a partially closed door.鈥�
鈥淲e are so grateful, so thankful, no citizens, no officers, no one was injured,鈥� San Diego Police Chief Shelley Zimmerman told the Union-Tribune newspaper.
Colbert has prior weapons possession, assault, and drug-related convictions, the San Diego paper reported.
Police say Colbert is a member of a southeastern San Diego gang. The gunman鈥檚 brother, Tecumseh Colbert, is currently聽on death row for a 2004 shooting of investment banker Robert McCamey and store clerk Richard Hammes during a 22-day crime spree.
Chief Zimmerman says Colbert has been booked on charges of 鈥渁ttempted murder of several police officers.鈥�
This report contains material from The Associated Press.
