Suspect arrested after hours-long standoff with Porterville police in attic, officials say

PORTERVILLE, Calif. (KFSN) -- Exclusive video shows the moments when 21-year-old Rosendo Gutierrez was placed under arrest on Friday morning, after barricading himself for 14 hours, crawling from the attic into different units at the Park View Village Apartments in Porterville.

Gutierrez was eventually found by police in this heater closet.

Jesus Cabada lives in the unit where the suspect was found. He explains how police made entry into the closet space: "They broke that part, got it, and he was hiding in here."

Gutierrez had been wanted for multiple crimes, including burglary and domestic violence reported from this location earlier this week.

Police received a call that the suspect had returned Thursday night...

That is when Gutierrez went into hiding and ended up in Cabada's apartment, "He came into mine, went into my refrigerator, drank all my stuff, got into my son's room, grabbed his phone so I kinda just feel violated."

Jesus Cabada walked us through his apartment, where overturned couches lay as officers searched for the suspect.

Cabada was able to communicate with the suspect through his son's phone -

And after being evacuated for 14 hours overnight, Cabada decided to call the phone to speak with Gutierrez.

"Im trying to talk to him, man to man, father to father and he says 'look, man i dont wanna lose my son, i dont want my son to go on without a father, so i felt that you know because im a dad myself. So I wanna talk to him like a man, even though he is in my apartment and I wanna be so mad at him but he lost his kid," expresses Cabada, referring to the suspect's son, Amillio Gutierrez, who died in a hot car in Bakersfield a year ago.

Within minutes of that conversation and after hours of negotiations with Porterville police officers, Gutierrez was found and taken into custody.

"This is what we want, we don't wanna fight, we don't wanna use force, we found him, luckily for us, he was in a position of disadvantage, and he is exhausted, dehydrated, and coming down after several days of methamphetamine use," explains Porterville Police Chief Bobby Rader.

The suspect's mother, Katie Martinez, shared her thoughts right before Gutierrez was found, "My son has put himself inside of an attic, I believe so he can experience the heat exposure that his son felt in Bakersfield."

Residents of four different units, including children, were displaced overnight, and many slept in their vehicles.

The Porterville police department provided the families breakfast, and the complex's office was open to them as well, but residents say it was a stressful night.

Chelisa Tyree describes the long hours, "It was exhausting, I wanted to get home and change from work," she continues, "I'm glad the way it ended, things could've gone a lot worse and hopefully he is able to get the help that he needs."

Another neighbor, Audrey Flud, adds, "Just scary because we didn't have anywhere else to go so me and my girls were sitting in the parking lot waiting for something, and I was just like any moment now, and that just lasted all night until in the morning."

Porterville police chief, crediting his department and the community for Friday's outcome

"The residents that are cooperative and on your side that makes things so much easier, they were just like go do your job, go to what needs to be done, and then they took the extra time to come and pray for us," expresses Chief Rader.

The Porterville Police Department and locals say that, despite the stress, this is the best possible outcome.

All involved express their hope that the suspect seeks the help he needs.

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