Suspect in Somerton standoff not found

A three-hour standoff outside a Somerton apartment complex where U.S. marshals were trying to serve an out-of-state felony warrant ended without an arrest Thursday evening when it turned out that the suspect was not at the location.

According to Officer Ed Quintero, the U.S. Marshals Service contacted Somerton police at about 2 p.m. asking for help in apprehending the fugitive, 22-year-old Caleb Kinsey, after having developed information that he could be at the apartment in the 100 block of Cactus Street.

Quintero said since there was a possibility that Kinsey, who was wanted on drug-related charges, could have been armed, Somerton police cordoned off and evacuated the immediate area. Students at Tierra Del Sol Elementary School were released early.

The Yuma County Sheriff Office's Special Response Team was also sent to the area, positioning two snipers on the roofs of nearby buildings. State troopers from the Arizona Department of Public Safety's GIITEM statewide task force in Yuma were also called in to assist.

After about two hours of not being able to make contact with Kinsey, who they thought may have been refusing to come out, marshals decided to enter the apartment, only to later find no one was inside.

“(Marshals) weren't sure he was even in there, and obviously he wasn't,” Quintero said. “They hadn't ever had any contact with (Kinsey).”

Before they entered the apartment, two small concussive blast could be heard. Quintero said a robot belonging to the YCSO Special Response Team was sent inside the home prior to any law enforcement officer going inside.

Officers cleared the scene at about 6 p.m., and residents were able to return their homes. Kinsey's whereabouts are currently unknown.

James Gilbert can be reached at jgilbert@yumasun.com or 539-6854. Find him on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/YSJamesGilbert or on Twitter @YSJamesGilbert.