Barricaded Peñitas suspect dies of self-inflected gunshot wound

UPDATE: 9:25 P.M.

After nearly eight hours of negotiations with law enforcement, a Friday standoff with an unidentified 25-year old Peñitas man has ended with the suspect dead following a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

“Unfortunately the man decided to take his own life, that’s the end result after nearly 8 hours of negotiations,” Peñitas police Chief Roel Bermea said, adding that no law enforcement agents were harmed.

The incident occurred when the suspect’s wife arrived to the Peñitas Police Department to report a “minor assault” that just occurred at her husband’s house near the police department.

“They were in a domestic dispute and she said he assaulted her,” Bermea said, adding that the wife had some bruising. “She ran to the station to report it and when police responded we were told he was the only one at the house and he was already barricading himself.”

Police arrived at the scene in the area of Military Highway and F.M. 1427 shortly before 12:30 p.m. The Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office and other law enforcement agencies arrived to provide aid to Peñitas police.

“We and tried to negotiate with him but he ever budged. We were out here for nearly 8 hours,” Bermea said. “He was calm but he kept saying ‘I don’t know what happened, I don’t know what happened.’ We don’t know the real reason why he did it.”

Police are waiting to notify next of kin before confirming the suspect’s identity.

Friday’s incident is the latest one involving a suspect barricading himself at home in the last few months.

Last April, Deputies with the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office and officers the McAllen Police Department arrested a 34-year-old man who barricaded himself in his Peñitas home for an hour.

Last month, Sullivan City Commissioner Gabriel Salinas died following a standoff with the Mission Police department at his home following a domestic dispute with his girlfriend.

“I can’t say for sure why we’re seeing so many domestic calls but they have been rising,” Bermea said. “I think it’s due to COVID. People are at home all the time and we’re seeing a slight increase in domestic disturbance calls.”

The Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office is now investigating the case, Bermea said.

ORIGINAL STORY

Law enforcement are at the scene of a barricaded suspect in Peñitas.

According to a social media post from the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office, the department is assisting the Peñitas Police Department with a barricaded subject in the area of Military Highway and F.M. 1427.

“We are asking the public to please stay away at this time,” the post states.

A spokesperson for the sheriff’s department said the scene was still active as of 3:20 p.m. Friday and referred all other question to the Peñitas Police Department. Peñitas Police Chief Roel Bermea was unavailable for comment.