A man has been arrested on numerous charges after barricading himself inside a motel room Tuesday night and firing a handgun.
Texarkana, Ark., SWAT officers and crisis negotiators were able to talk Ricardo Manzarnes, 26, of Hope, Ark., into surrendering. No one was injured. Manzarnes was arrested on charges of aggravated assault, possession of firearms by certain persons and theft by receiving. All three charges are felonies, said Texarkana, Ark., Police Spokesman Chris Rankin.
Police responded at 8 p.m. Tuesday to the Ambassador Inn at 200 Realtor Ave., in reference to a report of a welfare concern. When they arrived, officers discovered the situation had escalated into a possibly barricaded suspect with shots fired, Rankin said.
Patrol officers were able to determine that the victim had been in his second-floor motel room with the door open and two other friends had arrived to visit. While the door was still open, the suspect, later identified as Manzarnes, walked into the room uninvited and was carrying a pistol in his hand. Manzarnes was reportedly behaving erratically and walked toward the bathroom. He reportedly stated that someone was trying to kill him, and it was at this point he turned toward the window and fired three shots through the glass. The three occupants of the room immediately fled in fear for their life, and the suspect locked himself in the room. The victims did not know the suspect.
TAPD SWAT was called and while a tactical team was en route, patrol officers attempted to speak to the suspect through the door. After briefly talking with the officers, the suspect broke off communication. At the same time, other officers were busy evacuating the surrounding rooms. SWAT officers and crisis negotiators made verbal contact with Manzarnes, and at about 9:45 p.m. he surrendered and was taken into custody. A search of the room revealed a loaded 9mm handgun and spent shell casings on the floor.
Manzarnes is being held in the Miller County jail. The theft by receiving charge was added after it was learned the pistol had been reported as stolen.