Photo: Scenes from the incident
CONCORD — A man accused of threatening to kill two children last week remains in custody with bail denied. A police SWAT team arrested the man on July 2nd after a standoff lasting for five hours.
The incident unfolded after police received a call that a man was holding two juveniles against their will. Officers responded to a residence on the 1700 block of Ellis Street at approximately 2:30 p.m.
Upon arrival, officers learned that the man was holding his own child and one other child not related to him. It was believed that he was armed with a gun and a machete.
Police organized a SWAT team and surrounded the place, but the man refused to come out. At one point, he threatened to kill both children, police said in a prepared statement.
Ellis Street, near where he was holed up, was completely blocked off. Meanwhile, authorities continued trying to talk the man into giving himself up and releasing the children.
Nevertheless, the man remained barricaded inside an apartment with the children. Eventually, both children were able to run outside to safety, and the man surrendered peacefully. No one was harmed during the ordeal.
The man, identified as 35-year-old Alejandro Becerra, was arrested without further incident. When he was taken into custody, Becerra allegedly had illicit drugs in his possession.
Becerra is being housed at the Martinez Detention Facility. His charges include false imprisonment with violence and assault with a deadly weapon. He also faces charges for making criminal threats with intent to terrorize. In addition, Becerra is charged with possession of a controlled substance for sale.
