Pittsburg Standoff: Woman's Ex-Boyfriend Arrested After Alleged Domestic Violence, Holding Child Hostage
PITTSBURG (CBS SF) -- A woman's estranged boyfriend was involved in an hours-long standoff with police in Pittsburg after allegedly assaulting the woman and holding her young child at knifepoint before he was finally arrested, police said.
Pittsburg police said officers responded early Sunday evening to a house in the 1000 block of Bending Willow Way for a reported domestic violence incident. At the same time, a child inside the home called 911 to report a man was holding a 9-year-old hostage with a knife.
Arriving officers found a victim outside the home who said her estranged boyfriend had snuck into her house and physically assaulted her. The woman was able to get out of the house as did her 13-year-old and 3-year-old children, but the woman's other child remained inside the house with the suspect, identified as Frederick Douglas, 36.
Police said Douglas stated he was on parole for domestic violence and would not be going back to prison. Officers called into the home, trying to make contact with Douglas, and after about ten minutes Douglas allowed the nine-year-old to exit the residence, but he refused to surrender to officers.
Pittsburg police crisis negotiators worked for hours to make contact with Douglas but he refused to speak with them. In addition, police got a hold of Douglas' parents, but despite their urgings Douglas did not exit the house and made statements of suicide by shooting at officers, according to police.
A tactical team deployed chemical agents into the home and Douglas then exited the home after a seven-hour standoff. Police said he attempted to flee through the backyard but was taken into custody without further incident.
After being medically cleared at a hospital, Douglas was taken to the Martinez Detention Facility on charges of felony kidnapping, false imprisonment, domestic violence, and robbery.
The woman was transported to the hospital for minor injuries and later released. All three children were uninjured and released to family members. Police said detectives wouild be working with the family so they can obtain domestic violence victim support and resources.
