A tense standoff unfolded in a Sacramento neighborhood this Friday, as law enforcement pursued an armed Taco Bell robbery suspect, culminating in his arrest after several hours. The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office reported to their Facebook page that the incident began just after 4 PM, following a 911 call about an armed robbery at the Taco Bell on the 4300 block of Sunrise Boulevard.
Deputies responded quickly, locating the suspect's vehicle within 10 minutes and initiating a pursuit that ended when the suspect crashed into a home and fled on foot into the nearby neighborhood, deputies, armed with military gear such as armored vehicles, drones, and K9 units cordoned off the area in their search for the suspect, identified as 35-year-old Donald Caviness, during the massive response specialized units such as SWAT, crisis negotiators, and the drone team were also involved. Eventually, the suspect was found hiding under a deck at a residence on the 3800 block of Robie Lee Way and surrendered without further incident, as reported by the local news outlet ABC10.
During the operation, the nearby communities were thrown into disarray, with residents either evacuated or instructed to remain indoors, a precaution amplified by the San Juan Unified School District as they issued a shelter-in-place for several schools including Whitney Avenue Elementary, Pasadena Avenue Elementary, Arcade Midde, and Mira Loma High; meanwhile, the high school moved its football game to an away venue against Delta High in Clarksburg, as detailed by ABC10.
The Sacramento County Sheriff's Office said they found a gun believed to be used in the robbery in a nearby backyard. Caviness was arrested and taken to the Sacramento County Main Jail, where he is being held without bail.
