LATE-NIGHT SWAT ACTION ENDS IN ARREST

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May 6, 2012 (La Mesa)—A transient who destroyed a room at the Motel 6 barricaded himself in a room late last night triggered a response from the La Mesa Police Department’s Special Response Team (SRT) and temporary evacuation of the motel. 

At 10:11 p.m.,  LMPD officers were sent to the Motel 6  at 7621 Alvarado Road to investigate an “unusual circumstances call.” Motel employees told officers that the occupant(s) in room #206 were not responding to phone calls or knocks on the door after staff discovered water flowing from #206 and damaging the room below.

According to an advisory issued by LMPD, concerned there was someone inside the room in duress, patrol officers attempted to make contact at the door but initially received no response. As officers tried to make entry into #206 they found the door was secured by an interior latch and the door could only be opened a few inches. Officers noticed that wires were attached to the interior door knob and officers could not tell to what or where the wires led. It appeared the door may have been booby-trapped.

The door was also barricaded with furniture from inside the room. Additionally the sounds of a person moaning were heard coming from the room as if someone was in distress. As officers further tried to gain entry to check on the moaning person, they heard what sounded like a second person yelling “Don’t come in, I have a gun.”

Unable to gain entry, patrol officers backed away from the room and secured the area around #206 after hearing the threat of a gun. Officers evacuated the motel and a call-out of the LMPD Special Response Team (SRT) was initiated.

When SRT personnel were in place additional attempts were made to contact the people in #206, but without success. At 1:00 a.m., SRT officers used a flash bang diversionary device to make a dynamic entry into #206. Only one person was found in the room. He was identified as Seth Sepulvado, a 36 year old transient. Sepulvado was taken into custody without incident.

It was determined that Sepulvado had completely destroyed the room (damage estimate is approximately $6000.00) and threatened officers for unknown reasons. It was also determined that Sepulvado was the source of both the moaning and the threat of the gun. No weapons, explosives or any other persons were found in the room.

The Red Cross and officers from the ECPD, CHP and SDSUPD as well as deputies from the SDSO Bomb Squad and Crisis Negotiation Team assisted LMPD officers with this incident.

Sepulvado was arrested and booked at the San Diego Central Jail on charges of felony threatening a peace officer and felony vandalism.

 


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