Local sheriff’s deputies with guns drawn surrounded an apartment complex in Newhall Tuesday morning after receiving reports of at least one gunman in the same area as a fatal shooting just 12 hours earlier.
Deputies with the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station surrounded an apartment complex on Valle Del Oro near Costa Brava and Via Canon shortly after 9 a.m., a sergeant told The Signal Tuesday.
At least four deputies with guns drawn positioned themselves at four locations around one particular apartment building where the gunman was spotted, he said.
At least two other deputies armed with long-barrel firearms were seen also positioned around the complex.
Much of the police activity centered around a playground on Via Canon and pool near the complex.
When the first reports of a gunman were received shortly after 9 a.m., deputies interviewed the manager of the complex’s leasing office.
Then, they focused their attention on one particular apartment on the second floor of the complex.
About 9:15 a.m., a woman wearing a black top came to the balcony of the apartment and was told by deputies to come to the ground level.
She and three males, each responding to the demands of deputies congregated near the playground with hands in the air. The four were handcuffed and questioned but each of them was released from handcuffs within five minutes of questioning, one witness to the detaining said.
No one was seen being taken into custody as a suspect.
Paramedics with the Los Angeles County Fire Department were called to the scene at 9:16 a.m., Fire Department Inspector Joey Marron told The Signal.
“We were called for staging, and we arrived at the staging area at 9:25 a.m.,” he said, referring to a cautionary request made by deputies for paramedics to be present.
“We were cancelled at 9:45 a.m.,” Marron said.
About 9:45 a.m., deputies who had responded to reports of a gunman were called in for a debriefing near the scene.
About 12 hours earlier, deputies had responded to the 21300 block of Bottletree Lane near the intersection of Valle Del Oro and Dockweiler Drive shortly after 8 p.m. after a 911 call reporting gunfire in the area was received.
At least one person was shot and killed in an exchange of gunfire in Newhall Monday evening, according to sheriff’s officials.
Witnesses reported hearing several shots fired and a person down, said Shirley Miller, spokeswoman for the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station.
It’s unclear when the victim was pronounced dead, but the investigation was handed over to the sheriff’s department Homicide Bureau shortly after 9:30 p.m.
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