12 Hour Standoff Ends Peacefully

Foothills Special Enforcement Team (in essence this region’s SWAT TEAM), which consists of members of the Monrovia, Glendora, La Verne, and San Marino Police Departments responded to the scene - Photo by Terry Miller

Barricaded Man – Long Standoff with Monrovia Police Ends Peacefully
By Susan Motander
Late on Tuesday afternoon, Monrovia police received a phone call from a man informing them that a friend of his, David Hipkins, was despondent. The friend was worried about a potential of suicide. Monrovia police went to Hipkins’ home on Duarte Road in Monrovia to perform a welfare check on him according to Chief of Police Jim Hunt.
Hunt said the man refused to cooperate with the police and come out of the house. “We eventually reached him on his cell phone, but he refused to come out,” Hunt said.
The Monrovia Police Department brought in the Foothills Special Enforcement Team (in essence this region’s SWAT TEAM), which consists of members of the Monrovia, Glendora, La Verne, and San Marino Police Departments.
The area around the home where Hipkins was barricaded was evacuated and traffic was diverted off Duarte Road between Sixth and Eighth Avenues.
Hunt explained that the police department was able to determine that Hipkins was a convicted felon. He said that the suspect also made threats saying that he would harm the police.
It was also determined that he was in possession of several weapons including a semi-automatic rifle. As a result of all these facts, a warrant was obtained at approximately 8:30 p.m. for the arrest of the barricaded individual.
The police continued to try to negotiate with Hipkins, unsuccessfully. Tear gas was fired into the house at approximately11: 40 p.m. in an attempt to force the man to surrender according to Hunt.
It was not until shortly after 1:00 a.m. on Wednesday morning that the supect finally surrendered himself without shots being fired according to MPD Watch Commander, Sgt. Mike Head.
David Hipkins, 35, was arrested and charged with being an ex felon in possession of firearms. He is still in custody in lieu of bail. Bail is currently set at $250,000.

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