Man arrested after barricading himself in home

Police arrested a 19-year-old Porterville man Wednesday afternoon after he allegedly barricaded himself in his home after firing several gunshots.

The man, identified as David Garcia, was booked at the Tulare County Jail on suspicion of negligent discharge of a firearm, being under the influence of a controlled substance, child endangerment, and for resisting arrest.

The incident happened about 3 p.m. on the southeast corner of North Mathew Street and White Chapel Lane.   

Porterville Police Officer Dominic Barteau said that officers responded to reports of a man who fired several gunshots inside the home and was on the home’s front yard acting “crazy and erratic.” When officers arrived, Garcia reportedly went back inside the home and fired a second round. Barteau said Garcia was believed to be under the influence of drugs.

After numerous attempts to convince Garcia to surrender, and nearly an hour later, Garcia reportedly came to the front of the home's doorway, but was still behaving erratically. A short time later, the department’s Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team surrounded the house and detained him with help from a police K9 and after he was tased.

The PPD reports that after further investigation, police found a .22 caliber semi-automatic handgun as well as evidence that Garcia had fired the gun inside the house while there was an infant in the adjacent room.

No one was injured as a result of the incident other than Garcia from the K9 use.

Garcia was taken to Sierra View District Hospital for treatment of minor injuries he sustained during his arrest.