An Escondido man keeps police in a long standoff. Officers received information a woman was being held hostage at an Escondido apartment complex. The standoff lasted for four hours Monday afternoon.
Armed SWAT members, hostage negotiators, paramedics and patrol officers surrounded the Village Grove Apartment Homes in Escondido after a woman reported receiving a text from a friend.
"She was texting back and forth with her friend and stated she was being held against her will," explained Lt. Craig Carter with the Escondido Police Department.
Police decided it was a valid threat, so they went to the apartment complex and made contact with a 28-year-old man.
Lt. Carter told San Diego 6 News, "The suspect at the time did not know what was going on."
The man held police off for four hours and talked with hostage negotiators.
"He just didn't want to come out," said Carter. "Not sure if he didn't feel comfortable with it."
After time passed, the man finally gave up.
Police found no woman -- no weapons -- nothing illegal.
It turns out the supposed hostage was in Los Angeles doing fine.
"We are trying to find out how it is we got this information," said Carter. "And how it is there is no other female in the apartment."
The standoff was a big inconvenience for apartment residents, their friends and relatives, like Annette Ledesma.
"I had to park way down the road to get over here," said Annette. "My daughter and grandson live here. So I was worried about them."
Police say at this time no one is facing any charges for this long standoff.
