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Man arrested after hours-long standoff in Prunedale

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PRUNEDALE, Calif. (KION-TV) -- A Prunedale man has been arrested after a nearly 6 hour and a half standoff at their home on Sunday morning.

The site of the six-hour-plus standoff that lead to the arrest of 83-year-old Frederick Pierce.
Courtesy: Monterey County Sheriff's Office

Monterey County Sheriff's Office served a search warrant at the home of 83-year-old Frederick Pierce on the 16000 block of Avery Lane at 7:30 a.m. for possessing a stolen firearm.

MCSO detectives learned that Pierce was a convicted felon with multiple firearms registered in his name after a previous response to Pierce's home on December 19, 2024.

A rifle was found at the home in Prunedale.
Courtesy: Monterey County Sheriff's Office

On that day, MCSO deputies served a civil eviction from the property. Pierce did not leave the property, instead returning inside before deputies attempted to enter the home.

It was then that Pierce armed himself with a rifle and the deputies retreated with no more attempts made to get Pierce out of the home.

While multiple attempts to remove Pierce from the home yielded no results, deputies obtained a search warrant for possession of a stolen firearm.

SWAT finds ammunition and a magazine at the site of an hours-long standoff.
Courtesy: Monterey County Sheriff's Office

On March 9, SWAT handled the search warrant with the MCSO Crisis Negotiation Team and Monterey County Behavioral Health trying to connect with Pierce via phone.

As it became clear Pierce would not be leaving the home, SWAT team members entered to make an arrest. It was then that Pierce threw a knife at the SWAT members and fought members before being arrested.

A box of ammunition was found at the site of the standoff.
Courtesy: Monterey County Sheriff's Office

Pierce suffered minor injuries along with one SWAT team member. Both were taken to a local hospital for treatment.

Pierce now faces multiple charges including being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, resisting a police officer and assault with a deadly weapon.

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