Man arrested after barricading inside apartment near Santa Barbara’s West Beach

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - A man was arrested Sunday morning after barricading inside an apartment for several hours near Santa Barbara's West Beach.

City police said the man had reportedly pointed a handgun at someone during a crime on the 200 block of Ladera Street around 5:14 a.m.

When officers responded to the area, they spotted a man who matched the suspect's description, but he immediately ran from officers into an apartment at 217 Ladera and barricaded himself inside.

Believing the man may still be armed, officers evacuated the other apartments and attempted to contact the man to de-escalate the scenario. Residents in neighboring homes were asked to shelter in place for the remainder of the incident.

Fortunately, de-escalation tactics worked and the standoff came to a peaceful end around 9:10 a.m.

Members of the Santa Barbara Police SWAT and Crisis Negotiations Response Team were able to contact the man and arrest him without injury.

The shelter-in-place order was then lifted. However, residents were asked to remain away from the immediate area a while longer while police continued their investigation.

Check back later for updates.