Home invasion suspect in custody after hours-long standoff at Santa Barbara home

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - Law enforcement officers arrested a home invasion suspect following an hours-long standoff in a Santa Barbara neighborhood Thursday.

Police received reports that someone had broken into a home with people inside around 9:20 a.m.

Officers responded to the scene near the corner of San Martin Way and Verano Drive, near the area where Highway 154 drops off in Santa Barbara.

Police said two people inside the home, a mother and daughter, were able to evacuate.

Officers said the two were able to get out of a second story bathroom that they had locked themselves inside by using a fire department ladder.

Police said the male intruder, who had not been responding to negotiators throughout the day, was barricaded in the home until about 1:40 p.m. Thursday.

Negotiators and mental health professionals had been called in to help get the intruder out of the home.

Officers entered the home around 1:25 p.m. and took the intruder into custody shortly after.

Police said the family dog was still inside the home as of early Thursday afternoon, but was doing okay.

Several roads were blocked off because of the law enforcement response, including Verano at Primavera, San Martin at Rosario and Verano at La Colina.

People were asked to avoid the area.

Police said there was no threat to the general public and nearby Bishop Diego High School and La Colina Junior High were not threatened.