By F. Scott Faulkner
Ventura County, CA – A tense situation unfolded in the unincorporated area of Moorpark at approximately
10:30 a.m. on Sept. 10, 2024, when 61-year-old William Boer was involved in a
standoff with law enforcement that lasted nearly 10 hours.
According to Ventura County Sheriff’s Department spokesperson Sgt. Monica Smith,
deputies were initially called to a residence following reports of “a suicidal individual.”
Upon arrival, deputies immediately discovered a volatile scene: Boer’s estranged wife
had gone to speak with him and found that he had turned on the gas to the kitchen
stove and placed several propane tanks inside the residence. She fled the residence
when Boer “attempted to ignite a lighter” and “believed she heard gunshots” as she
exited.
As deputies arrived to the scene, further gunshots were heard emanating from Boer’s
residence. Efforts to communicate with Boer via telephone were met with resistance as
he terminated calls and barricaded himself inside the house.
At that point, the VCSD SWAT team, supported by SWAT teams from Oxnard and Simi
Valley Police, took tactical control of the situation, securing the area and initiating
evacuations.
Throughout the standoff, the Tactical Negotiations Unit (TNU) worked to establish
intermittent telephone contact with Boer, hoping to negotiate a peaceful surrender.
Despite the volatile situation, which included Boer firing at law enforcement officers with
a rifle around 6:50 p.m., no injuries were reported among the officers.
The standoff concluded an hour later when Boer exited his residence and surrendered
peacefully. He was promptly taken into custody and transported to the Ventura County
Jail, where he was charged with two counts of attempted murder—one against his
estranged wife and another against a law enforcement officer. He remains in custody
with his bail set at $6.2 million.
