Yuba City couple surrender after house surrounded

A 61-year-old Yuba City man who is suspected of firing a shot Thursday in the backyard of his home in the 900 block of Shasta Street, holed up inside for more than two hours while police tried to talk him out.

The man emerged barefoot about 3:50 p.m. as the Yuba City Police Department SWAT team approached his front door with a battering ram. No shots were fired, and he was taken into custody without further incident along with an unidentified woman dressed in pink.

Officers gathered behind patrol cars, pointing rifles and handguns at the house while the man ignored demands over a public address system to come out with his hands in the air.

"You never know how these things are going to end," said Assistant Police Chief Jeff Webster.

Police asked that the man's name not be published until after he was interviewed and charged. He is likely to face a minimum charge of negligently firing a gun, said Webster.

A neighbor reported at 1:19 p.m. that the man fired one shot from a handgun in the backyard.

"We have no idea why," Webster said.

Police hoped to find clues in the house and were seeking a search warrant.

The SWAT team was called out because the man has a history of being armed, Webster said. According to Appeal-Democrat records, the man was arrested in October 2007 on suspicion of illegal gun possession and carrying a concealed weapon.

In 2001, he was interviewed by the newspaper while working at a local gun store.

A bus stop at Shasta and Alturas streets was evacuated during the standoff. Occupants of medical offices across the street were told to stay inside.

Contact Appeal-Democrat reporter Rob Young at 749-4710 or at ryoung@appealdemocrat.com.