Suspect in Fair Oaks standoff, shooting identified
FAIR OAKS - After an hours-long standoff on Friday, deputies arrested a suspect who they say they exchanged gunfire with in the Fair Oaks area of Sacramento County.
The Sacramento County Sheriff's Office said deputies responded to the Hazel Ranch apartments on Winding Way just after 10 a.m. on Friday for a report of shots fired. Deputies later learned one of the calls came from the suspect inside the apartment.
When deputies arrived, they found a bullet hole in a window. The deputies were then fired at and at least two deputies returned fire before retreating to a safer area, the sheriff's office said.
Amar Gandhi, a spokesperson at the sheriff's office, said the suspect shot down a Sacramento County Sheriff's Office drone. He also grabbed two drones and destroyed them.
The suspect also exchanged gunfire twice with the SWAT team, Gandhi said.
The suspect, later identified as Eric Smith, was wounded on his arm by gunfire, but deputies said the injury was not life-threatening. It's unknown at this point if the wound was self-inflicted or from a deputy firing their weapon.
Deputies communicated with Smith over the phone for about seven hours and he eventually walked out and was detained peacefully around 5:30 p.m. Shortly before the standoff ended, deputies deployed gas into the apartment.
Gandhi said the crisis negotiations team played a critical role in getting Smith to surrender peacefully and without any injuries to civilians and deputies.
The sheriff's office said it was an active threat and evacuated the apartment complex where the incident was. Some residents decided to shelter in place. The sheriff's office said all surrounding apartments impacted by the situation were evacuated or told to shelter in place.
Several blocks in the area of Winding Way and Hazel Avenue were blocked off as there was a heavy law enforcement presence in the area. Some of the roads were expected to reopen sometime on Friday evening.
In an email, obtained by CBS13, from the complex to residents, there was a warning that gas services may be shut off. The reason for the gas line disruption was that investigators were concerned the suspect may have been tampering with gas in the apartment they were in.
The sheriff's office said Friday that Smith is expected to face attempted murder on several peace officer charges.
Investigators remained at the scene overnight to investigate.
Smith was taken to the hospital for his injuries and is expected to be booked into jail when he is released from the hospital.
PG&E was working Friday evening to restore gas to the apartment complex and residents were expected to return to their apartments on Friday.