A tense situation unfolded in Ramona, where a SWAT standoff resulted in the evacuation of Hanson Elementary School yesterday. Deputies from the Ramona Sheriff's Substation answered a call for a welfare check of a despondent man around 9:30 a.m. at a residence on Royal Vista Drive. The man, whom authorities tried to communicate with, retreated and seemingly armed himself, as deputies reported hearing what sounded like a weapon being prepared. This prompted an immediate call for backup and subsequent evacuation of nearby areas, including the elementary school.
Children and staff from Hanson Elementary were transported to the Ramona Community Montessori School for their safety. The Hoodline report noted that the Sheriff's Department made available a reunification site for parents and their kids at the Montessori school, away from the potential danger zone surrounding the primary school grounds. Throughout the day, law enforcement, including the Escondido Police Department's SWAT team and a Crisis Negotiation Team, engaged in attempts to resolve the standoff peacefully.
After hours of unsuccessful contact attempts, the standoff came to an end late in the evening when deputies and SWAT officers entered the home and found a man unresponsive in a closet, as reported by the San Diego County Sheriff's Office. Medical personnel on the scene pronounced the man deceased. The circumstances of his death are under investigation, but deputies have since indicated that there is no current threat to the public.
The San Diego County Sheriff's Office thanked the public and media, alongside the Escondido Police Department, for their assistance.
