Armed Suspect in Daylong Standoff With Palo Alto Police Identified
PALO ALTO (CBS SF) -- An armed domestic violence suspect arrested by Palo Alto police Saturday after a standoff lasting 29 hours has been identified as 29-year-old Palo Alto resident Adam Allen Smith, police said.
The prolonged incident began about 9:15 a.m. Friday, when a woman in a residence in the 300 block of Tennessee Lane contacted police about a domestic violence incident involving the attempted strangling of her female friend by that woman's boyfriend.
"The caller said that both women had locked themselves in a bedroom away from the suspect, whom she reported was in possession of a handgun," according to a news release from the Palo Alto Police Department.
Dispatchers told the women to escape the house via the bedroom window and go to officers outside.
The assaulted woman, who police said had visible neck injuries, was treated by the Palo Alto Fire Department.
The department's SWAT and crisis negotiation teams were both at the scene as Smith remained barricaded in the home and police said he could be seen pacing inside with a handgun, police said.
"While the suspect would intermittently speak with negotiators, he remained defiant and repeatedly stated he would shoot anyone who entered the residence to arrest him," police said.
Smith shot and damaged a robot that police said was sent into the home in an attempt to better communicate with him.
The SWAT and crisis negotiation personnel were relieved overnight by counterparts from Mountain View, then returned the next morning.
The situation continued until 2:30 p.m. Saturday, when "SWAT personnel inserted chemical agents into the home" and Smith came out a back door about 15 minutes later, police said.
But Smith continued to resist officers, who fired a "less-lethal projectile weapon" that struck him in the stomach. Smith was then taken into custody following a minor struggle.
A handgun loaded with an illegal high-capacity magazine was found in the home.
No officers were injured.
Smith was booked into the Santa Clara County Main Jail for domestic violence and assault likely to produce great bodily injury, felony vandalism for damaging the robot, malicious and willful discharge of a firearm at an inhabited dwelling, as well as misdemeanor charges.
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call the dispatch center at (650) 329-2413. Anonymous tips can be e-mailed to paloalto@tipnow.org or sent via text message or voicemail to 650-383-8984.
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