Residential burglary suspect arrested after standoff in Palm Desert

A residential burglary led to a standoff at a neighborhood in Palm Desert Tuesday morning. The incident also caused a brief lockdown at two nearby schools as a precautionary measure.

The incident began shortly before 5:30 a.m. when deputies responded to reports of a burglary in the 74-400 block of Santolina Drive.

Deputies arrived at the scene and learned that a man forced entry into a home.

"When confronted by the homeowners, the suspect fled the location and went to his nearby residence, where he refused to exit, despite numerous commands by law enforcement," reads a news release from the Riverside County Sheriff's Department.

The standoff lasted several hours but eventually, the suspect exited the residence and was taken into custody without incident.

The suspect, a 38-year-old Palm Desert resident, faces a residential burglary charge. He is also accused of violating a court order. He was booked into the John Benoit Detention Center in Indio.

Sheriff's officials said nearby schools were notified of the situation as a precautionary measure, even though the suspect was contained to a residence. The schools decided to shelter in place, but continued instruction at their own discretion.

"The suspect was contained to his house during the investigation and the request for any restrictions to the schools did not come from law enforcement, but from school administrators," a spokesperson with the Sheriff's Dept. told News Channel 3.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is encouraged to contact Deputy Rutigliano of the Palm Desert Station at (760) 836-1600.