Authorities arrest suspect after exchanging gunfire following hours-long standoff in Calaveras County
WEST POINT - Deputies arrested a suspect they said fired shots toward law enforcement official in Calaveras County during a several hours-long standoff on Friday.
It all began when deputies with the Calaveras County Sheriff's Office and Amador County Sheriff's SWAT responded to the 100 block of Woodhouse Mine Road in West Point around 9 a.m. to serve a search warrant.
The search warrant came after an investigation regarding a person believed to have firearms when they were prohibited from doing so.
Deputies said they received multiple reports that the suspect was threatening people with great bodily harm and discharging weapons in the area.
When authorities arrived at the scene, they established a perimeter and attempted to contact a man inside. Deputies said the suspect told authorities over the phone that he did not have any intention of exiting the home or complying.
Shortly before 11 a.m., deputies said the man fired several rounds toward a law enforcement vehicle. They said they did not return fire and continued to negotiate with the suspect.
Several hours later, at around 5 p.m., with negotiations proving to be unproductive, law enforcement officials released chemical agents into the home in an attempt to flush the suspect out. When the suspect exited the home, he shot his gun "one or more times" at deputies, who then returned fire, the Calaveras sheriff's office said.
The suspect — identified as Michael Powell, 40 — was shot at least once and has since been taken to an area hospital for treatment. He will be booked into jail once he's cleared for release from the hospital.
No other people were in the home and no other injuries have been reported.