SAN BERNARDINO >> A traffic stop in San Bernardino on Thursday afternoon led to a SWAT incident.
San Bernardino narcotics officers made the traffic stop at East Ralston Avenue and Genevieve Street, and the two suspects in the car ran, said Lt. Rich Lawhead with the San Bernardino Police Department.
Both suspects went into an apartment in a small apartment building in the 3900 block of Genevieve Street; one came out and was arrested, and the other one remained inside, he said. A rifle was found in the vehicle, and SWAT was called out to the scene.
Witnesses said firefighters helped evacuate people from surrounding apartments, some by using a ladder to a second floor window. Crime scene tape blocked off Genevieve Street at West 40th Street to the north and West 39th Street to the south so police could establish a command post and keep the scene clear of people. Fire trucks staged in a handful of locations nearby.
The SWAT team and at least one K-9 unit moved to and from the apartment building on a handful of occasions. At one time the SWAT team set off two flash bangs; at another time it deployed three tear gas canisters.
The suspect gave himself up at about 8:30 p.m. after tear gas was deployed, said spokesperson Eileen Hards. Police kept the perimeter up after to conduct additional searches to ensure no one else was hiding.