Shots fired in Calexico apartment complex, turns into hostage protocol

Calexico police say an argument turned into shots fired - News 11's Vanessa Gongora reports.

CALEXICO, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) - A man is behind bars after police say he fired shots inside an apartment with two women and a child inside.

Early Sunday morning, the Calexico Police Department reported to a shots fired call from a woman inside an apartment located on Fourth St. and Andrade Ave.

Calexico police say the woman said one of their boyfriends pulled out a gun and fired several shots.

Police noted the suspect, 28-year-old Ernest Martin Torres fired five gunshots in a bedroom that was visible from the second story on the outside of the apartment.

Police also say it started as a heated argument and they grew concerned after the woman who called them could not be found.

When officers lost contact with the woman and she would not answer the phone, they requested assistance from the El Centro Police Department negotiations team and the Border Patrol Tactical Unit.

Sgt. Armando Orozo said they then set up a perimeter and prepared for a possible barricade situation.

"So barricaded subject is basically certain criteria where we have a subject that refuses to come out and is believed to have possibly committed a crime and so we basically form a perimeter attempt to make contact with them and try to negotiate to surrender himself," Sgt. Orozco explained.

After five hours, officers say they were able to get ahold of the woman who called and got the victims out safely.

The suspect surrendered himself. 

Luckily no one was injured and officers recovered the gun. Police mention that Torres is a convicted felon and was taken into custody on multiple felony violations.