Possibly armed suspect arrested after hours-long standoff in Costa Mesa
Authorities arrested an potentially armed suspect who barricaded himself inside of a warehouse in Costa Mesa after a nearly nine-hour long standoff Wednesday.
The incident began at around 11 a.m. when Costa Mesa police were dispatched to the scene of an industrial complex in the 1700 block of Monrovia Avenue. They were sent to the area to assist special agents with the California Attorney General's bureau of firearms, who were serving a search warrant at the time.
"We can confirm that special agents from our Bureau of Firearms were executing a warrant in Costa Mesa as part of an APPS investigation. The scene is currently active and we advise all residents to stay away from the area. No injuries are reported at this time. At this point, there are no further updates. We can provide more details as they become available," said a spokesperson for the AG's office.
APPS is The Armed and Prohibited Persons System, which works to identify individuals who had owned firearms prior to becoming prohibited from owning them legally.
At around 8 p.m., Costa Mesa police announced on Twitter that the suspect had been taken into custody.
Suspect in custody. No injuries. Law enforcement will remain at the scene a little longer to complete investigation. For further info, contact DOJ, info on this thread.
— Costa Mesa Police (@CostaMesaPD) October 6, 2022
We’d like to thank the community for their patience as we handled this incident w/everyone’s safety in mind.
The suspect, Luis Mendez Jr., is believed to own a metal fabricating business, according to neighboring business owners.
On Friday, it was reported that Mendez, who has in the past been convicted of domestic abuse, fired several shots at officers who arrived to seize the weapons he was unable to own.
He has since been charged with two counts of attempted murder, two counts of assault with a firearm on a peace officer, resisting arrest, possession of a firearm with a prior misdemeanor conviction and a prohibited person owning ammunition and possession of a short-barreled shotgun or rifle
While the incident unfolded, law enforcement officials issued a warning for residents in the surrounding area to remain away from the area as they worked to apprehend the suspect.
Several schools in the area were also placed on lockdown and students forced to shelter in place.
"There was a helicopter in the sky warning people not to go in the area," said Terry Coakley, who lives nearby.
Video from the scene shows officers running for cover after what sound like a series of gunshots can be heard in the distance. In separate video, you can hear a man shouting, "He's got a rifle!," as police shield themselves behind squad cars.
Costa Mesa police officers could be seen on rooftops, with firearms trained on the area where the suspect was believed to be holed up. A SWAT BearCat vehicle was also called to the scene.