Standoff ends in north Durango; 20-year-old taken into custody

Police say River Anderson refused to surrender to authorities
Durango Police Department officers escort an individual wearing handcuffs Tuesday after a daylong standoff in the 2900 block of East Fourth Avenue in north Durango. Police said they arrested River Anderson after using a chemical agent and raiding the house.

A standoff in north Durango ended Tuesday afternoon after officers raided the home, taking a 20-year-old Durango man into custody.

Cmdr. Ray Shupe said police were alerted around 10:45 a.m. of a disturbance at a residence in the 2900 block of East Fourth Avenue, and learned a man wanted on suspicion of multiple burglaries was possibly inside.

Anderson

The man, identified as River Anderson, allegedly got into a physical altercation with his ex-girlfriend, who he is prohibited from being around, Shupe said. Anderson was wanted on four different felony warrants.

When officers arrived, Anderson ran back into his ex-girlfriend’s house, Shupe said. Officers set up a perimeter and used a loudspeaker to convince Anderson to come outside and surrender to authorities peacefully, but he refused, Shupe said.

Police issued a Code Red alert to homes, schools and businesses in the area, informing them of the situation. Schools were temporarily on lockout, Shupe said, but that restriction was lifted shortly before 2 p.m. once police believed they had the situation “contained.”

East Fourth Avenue was closed between 29th and 31st streets.

Police were unable to have direct communication with Anderson, Shupe said. But it appears Anderson called emergency dispatch saying he was on Smelter Mountain and wanted to turn himself in.

“That was a ruse to get us away from the house,” Shupe said.

Authorities knew Anderson’s ex-girlfriend had a gun in the house, and they were concerned he armed himself. Shupe said the police department does not talk specific tactics, but officers were able to storm the house using chemical agents and take Anderson into custody without incident.

No one was injured, Shupe said, and the scene was cleared around 5 p.m.

Shupe said Anderson will likely face new charges because of the standoff, but he did not immediately have that information.

In January, Anderson was sentenced to a year of probation and 40 hours of community service after drawing a swastika on a construction project in Three Springs, as well as vandalizing other homes.

jromeo@durangoherald.com

Durango Police Department officers escort an individual wearing handcuffs Tuesday after a daylong standoff in the 2900 block of East Fourth Avenue in north Durango. Police said they arrested River Anderson after using a chemical agent and raiding the house.
Durango Police Department officers escort an individual wearing handcuffs Tuesday after a daylong standoff in the 2900 block of East Fourth Avenue in north Durango. Police said they arrested River Anderson after using a chemical agent and raiding the house.
The Durango Police Department surrounds a home in north Durango, where a burglary suspect was suspected to be hiding out, leading to a daylong standoff.
Courtesy of Nancy Stoffer<br><br>The Durango Police Department said a wanted man inside a home in north Durango refused to come out on his own will.
Courtesy of Nancy Stoffer<br><br>Homes, businesses and schools were alerted of a situation in north Durango where police surrounded a home trying to get a wanted man to come outside.
Courtesy of Nancy Stoffer<br><br>The Durango Police Department tried to compel a man who barricaded himself inside a home in north Durango to come out and surrender to authorities.
Courtesy of David Torres - 10/06/2020 Durango - Officers with the Durango Police Department surrounded a house in north Durango on Tuesday where a burglary suspect barricaded himself and refused to come out.


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