CIMARRON HILLS — An hours-long standoff between the El Paso County Sheriff's Office and an armed man came to a peaceful end overnight after deputies were called to a home on Mohican Drive in Cimarron Hills.
The encounter started before 4 p.m. Sunday following a report of a domestic violence incident. As deputies arrived, the man barricaded himself inside the house.
Despite the large police presence, the sheriff's office did not send out an alert notification to neighbors to shelter in place.
"If we felt it rose to that level we would send out an Everbridge asking people to shelter in place. We did not do that. But, I know our SWAT team will take the surrounding houses closest to the house where the activity is and make sure that that house is secure and those individuals are safe," an EPCSO spokesperson said.
Following about 7 hours of negotiations, the man finally surrendered.
36-year-old Robert Sanford is charged with robbery, 3rd degree assault, 2nd degree criminal tampering and harassment. The sheriff's office says he refused to speak with deputies, threatened to harm family members and threatened to harm himself.
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