Suspect found dead following two-day siege ID’d by authorities

VALINDA (CNS) — A shooting suspect found dead in a Valinda house following a two-day standoff with deputies during which he allegedly fired more than 100 shots, prompting evacuations of at least 10 families from their homes, was identified Monday as a 45-year-old man.

The coroner’s office identified the man as Brandon Ursa, and an autopsy was pending.

Early Monday morning, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department announced that the extended standoff was over and efforts had begun to get evacuated families back in their homes.

Sheriff’s personnel had torn holes in the roof of the residence in the 16900 block of Wing Lane where the standoff took place so they could use cameras to see inside before entering the house, where they found the suspect had apparently committed suicide, sheriff’s officials said.

A coroner’s investigator was able to examine the suspect’s body late Sunday night, according to the sheriff’s department.

“The investigator did not observe any gunshot wounds to the body but did notice severe lacerations on the suspect’s wrist that appeared consistent with self-inflicted cuts commonly caused to commit suicide,” according to a sheriff’s statement.

“This determination is only based on the scene investigator’s observations and opinion only,” the statement said. “The final cause and determination of the death will ultimately be determined by a Los Angeles County Medical Examiner, Coroner’s office, doctor after an autopsy is performed.”

It was not known exactly when the man died, but Lt. Thomas Giandomenico told reporters during a Sunday evening news conference that, at 2 a.m. Sunday, the suspect was “still cussing and sending text messages about his ability to want to put harm on us.”

During crisis negotiations, the suspect did not give specific-reasons for the siege, Giandomenico said.

Asked why the SWAT team waited so long to enter the house, he explained, “We had to make sure that everything was done to perfection and with the utmost safety, and in that process it takes time, and all the while being hindered by being shot at.”

SWAT deputies did not fire on the suspect because one of their goals was to “protect him from himself,” he said. They parked armored vehicles in front of the home to shield them from his gunshots.

The suspect was a guest at the house of a girlfriend, Giandomenico said.