Man Arrested in Vallejo after Threatening to Shoot an Individual and Police Officers
On Wednesday, September 16th, Solano County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a family disturbance on the 500 block of Phillip Street in Vallejo, according to a press release. A call was made to central dispatch from the victim stating that David Gunkel, 44, was involved in an argument and was threatening to shoot the victim and any responding law enforcement.
Sheriff’s SWAT and HNT (negotiators) arrived on scene in effort to establish contact with the subject.
When deputies arrived at the home, they made multiple attempts to contact Gunkel without success. Other people in the home were able to make their way out safely, and spoke to the deputies.
Members of the Solano County Sheriff’s Office SWAT Team, Hostage Negotiation Team, detectives, and a K9 unit were deployed to the scene of the incident. When efforts to contact Gunkle from outside the home via loud speaker and phone were unsuccessful, the SWAT team entered the home. Deputies located Gunkel hiding in the crawl space under a neighboring home, and he was arrested without further incident. Deputies also found an altered shotgun during the search.
Gunkel’s Facebook timeline is filled with gun rights images like this one. As an ex-felon, he is not legally permitted to own or carry a firearm.
David Harlan Gunkel was booked into the Solano County Jail for making threats, resisting a peace officer, being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession of an illegally modified shotgun, and possession of a firearm with the serial number altered.
Gunkel had been arrested by the Solano County Sheriff’s office a year and half ago, according to available records. He was arrested at the shopping center at 14th and Rice Streets in Vallejo, where the Rite Aid and Harbor Freight Tools stores are located. He was charged with assault with a deadly weapon and intercepting police radio communications. Prior to that incident, in February of 2014 and August and October 2013 he was charged with making criminal threats. In November of 2009 he was arrested for vehicle theft and possession of drug paraphernalia.
