A nearly five-hour standoff following the attempted service of a search warrant ended with the arrest of suspect Alex Yanez, 56,at his residence in the 500 block of Seventh St. in Hollister, police announced in a 2:20 a.m. press release Wednesday, Aug. 31. No injuries were reported to the suspect or the officers and deputies involved.
Yanez was booked on the original charges of false imprisonment, negligent discharge of a firearm and resisting/delaying or obstruction of a peace officer. Police said other charges are being developed for possible recommendation to the district attorney.
The Hollister Police Department on Tuesday evacuated some residents near Seventh and West streets and asked others to avoid the area as officers and a SWAT team attempted to serve a search warrant hours after early-morning reports of gunfire near the intersection.
People living nearby who did not evacuate were asked to shelter in place, police announced in a statement released at 10:23 p.m. Tuesday.
On Tuesday, Aug. 30 at about 12:30 a.m., Hollister Police responded to a report of a shooting near the intersection of Seventh and West streets. An ongoing investigation led to Monterey County Sheriff’s Office SWAT responding to assist.
Police responding to a report of a gunshot being fired on the 500 block Seventh St. located a witness who reported “a heavyset man yelling and shooting a firearm into the air,” police said in a press release. “The man then went into a home near the intersection of Seventh and West.
Officers attempted to contact the residents of the home but did not receive a response. It was determined that an elderly woman and her 56-year-old nephew live in the home. Attempts to reach her or any other family members were unsuccessful. Officers recovered a spent casing outside the home but found no other evidence at that time. Not hearing any noise or observing any movement around the home, officers decided to obtain a search warrant and attempt contact in the morning.
While continuing the investigation, officers discovered more evidence confirming the resident, Alex Yanez, was armed and inside the home. Â Yanez was reportedly recently seen in possession a gun and he had been allegedly making threats to shoot people, police said. Yanez is also a convicted felon and is not allowed to possess any firearms.
Members of the Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team (UNET), Â detectives and officers from the Hollister Police Department conducted surveillance on the home all day but the suspect did not leave the house.
Hollister Police requested mutual aid assistance from the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office. The SWAT team responded and at approximately 8 p.m. Tuesday and attempted to execute the search warrant. Police say Yanez was seen just outside his front door shortly before the SWAT team arrived.
“Although there is movement inside the home, he has not responded to demands to exit the house,” the police department said in its evening news release. “The SWAT negotiators are attempting to gain his compliance.”
The police department said it would provide updates when they became available.