(PUEBLO, Colo.) — A man is in custody after an hours-long standoff near the Colorado State Fair that caused a secured perimeter at an area elementary school.
According to the Pueblo Police Department (PPD), police originally responded around 12:30 p.m. to reports of suspicious activity in the 1200 block of Palmer Avenue, just east of the State Fairgrounds.
When officers arrived, they tried to make contact with a man who had allegedly menaced people in the area with a deadly weapon, though the man refused to come out of the home. An hours-long standoff ensued, during which nearby Colombian Elementary was placed on secured perimeter. Students were safely released to their families at dismissal.
The Pueblo Police SWAT team responded to the standoff alongside crisis negotiators and drone units. PPD said initial attempts to get the suspect to surrender were unsuccessful. However, the suspect eventually surrendered and was taken into custody.
The suspect has been identified as 30-year-old Samuel Mares. He was arrested on charges of Felony Menacing, Third-Degree Assault, and Criminal Mischief.
