Man arrested in daylong Mello Court standoff identified by Sacramento police
The suspect in a nearly 24-hour hostage situation near Mello Court has been identified by police after being taken into custody on kidnapping charges, according to authorities.
Eric Leyva was arrested by police Wednesday afternoon after a standoff with police in which he barricaded himself inside a Mello Court home. Authorities said Leyva had eight hostages in the home, but were able to determine his location inside and introduce a chemical agent before entering, where he surrendered peacefully.
The incident began on Tuesday morning, when police responded to a domestic disturbance at a Tallac Village home in the 5500 block of Cabrillo Way, in which the victim reportedly identified Leyva. By 4 p.m. officers located Leyva, who was wanted in connection to assault with a deadly weapon and kidnapping, inside a vehicle. Police attempted to pull the car over when a slow-speed pursuit began that ended less than two miles away on Mello Court.
Around 4:20 p.m., Leyva exited the passenger side with a 13-year-old hostage at gunpoint before entering a home through an open garage door, police say. The driver of the vehicle was detained and interviewed, but has not been arrested for the incident.
According to a news release, officers were able to determine that Leyva was not tied to the home and that seven residents were inside. SWAT and negotiation teams for both the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office and Sacramento Police Department responded.
Six of the hostages were released Tuesday evening. Two more, an adult woman who lived at the residence and a 13-year-old girl, fled Wednesday morning. According to the release, the latter two escaped while the suspect wasn’t paying attention at approximately 8:14 a.m. and were able to confirm to police that no additional hostages were inside.
Police say they were able to determine Leyva’s location in the home and introduced a chemical agent before entering, where Leyva was apprehended by SWAT members from the police department without injury.
Leyva has been booked into Sacramento County Main Jail on kidnapping charges and is being held on $1 million bail, according to jail records. Authorities said additional charges could be filed.