A La Plata County man faces felony charges after threatening a neighbor with a gun and firing multiple shots Saturday in the Forest Lakes subdivision.
Forest Lakes resident Paul Lundquist, 65, was arrested on suspicion of felony menacing, a Class 5 felony, for assault with a deadly weapon. No one was harmed in the incident, which prompted a reverse 911 call warning residents to stay indoors Saturday evening.
According to an arrest affidavit, Lundquist requested assistance from law enforcement and Homeland Security about 5:35 p.m. Saturday, saying someone took his dog.
Within about 10 minutes, someone else called dispatch to say shots had been fired and two men were yelling at each other. In another call to dispatch, a Forest Lakes resident said he had been held at gunpoint by Lundquist, who believed the resident had stolen his dog.
Lundquist is suspected of telling the man to get on the ground and pointing the gun at the man, according to the affidavit and a witness statement to law enforcement. The witness told law enforcement Lundquist was also walking around the neighborhood, firing shots from his gun, according to the affidavit.
A deputy was able to contact Lundquist on the phone, and after negotiations, Lundquist agreed to set down his firearm and meet deputies at the end of his driveway, according to the affidavit. He was then taken into custody without further incident.
The Forest Lakes subdivision, about 8 miles north of Bayfield, is home to about 2,000 people. During the incident, residents were warned to stay indoors via the reverse 911 system.
Residents used the subdivision’s metropolitan Facebook group to warn other neighbors, and track law enforcement and paramedic activity. They also shared locations where gunshots could be heard.
Several people received alerts through the Code Red system, La Plata County’s emergency notification system.
Some residents said they did not receive any messages or were unclear if Code Red would send an “all clear” message.
Residents began sharing word that the suspect was in custody and the situation had been mitigated about 7:30 p.m. Lundquist was booked into the La Plata County Jail on a $5,000 cash bail.
The La Plata County Sheriff’s Office said Monday the investigation was active and declined comment further, including to answer questions about why some residents did not receive emergency notifications.
La Plata County residents can register up to five phone numbers with their physical street address to receive emergency notifications through Code Red, even when away from home or without a landline. Online registration can be found on the La Plata County Sheriff’s Office website.
smullane@durangoherald.com
