A 44-year-old Wildomar man who allegedly shot a rifle into the air and shouted threats at his neighbors, triggering an hours-long standoff with sheriff’s deputies that ended with the suspect surrendering peacefully, was being held Friday on $2 million bail.
Eric Clifford Rinderhagen was arrested Thursday night on suspicion of making terrorist threats, stalking, recklessly discharging a firearm, resisting arrest and being in possession of a firearm while under a restraining order.
Rinderhagen is being held at the Byrd Detention Center in Murrieta.
According to Riverside County sheriff’s Sgt. Brett Seckinger, in November, the suspect came to the attention of deputies after he made “threats to kill multiple people” with whom he was acquainted or had associated with in the past.
Seckinger said that detectives initiated an investigation and determined that, based on Rinderhagen’s alleged behavior and the fact that he had a number of guns registered at his residence in the 24000 block of Mauri Court, he should be considered a potential public safety threat. However, he was not arrested.
About 11 a.m. Thursday, the suspect allegedly walked outside of his home, aimed a rifle in the air and fired several shots, then yelled unspecified threats at his neighbors, according to the sergeant.
Patrol deputies and SWAT members converged on the location, evacuating surrounding homes and closing several streets, including a portion of Clinton Keith Road, a busy east-west artery.
In the ensuing standoff, Rinderhagen allegedly refused to emerge from his property for more than nine hours, while crisis management team negotiators tried to talk him out, Seckinger said.
He said the suspect finally surrendered without SWAT members having to forcibly enter his residence.
No one was injured.
According to court records, a woman filed a domestic violence restraining order against Rinderhagen in 2015, but the circumstances were not disclosed.
The suspect has no documented prior felony convictions in Riverside County.