A felon who allegedly fired a handgun inside a Desert Hot Springs home occupied by children and held law enforcement officers at bay for several hours pleaded not guilty Thursday to more than a half-dozen felony charges.
Juan Gonzalez Jr., 47, of Desert Hot Springs was arrested Tuesday following the standoff, during which a deputy fired a shot that missed the suspect.
Gonzalez is charged with assault with a deadly weapon on a police officer, assault with a semi-automatic firearm, discharge of a firearm in a negligent manner, being a convicted felon and narcotic addict owning or possessing a firearm and ammunition and three counts of wilful child cruelty.
Desert Hot Springs police, aided by sheriff’s deputies, were sent around 1:45 a.m. to a home in the 67600 block of San Gorgonio Street, where witnesses said a man was inside shooting a weapon “while family members, including children, were present,” Deputy Mike Vasquez said.
They surrounded the residence and confirmed six people were inside the house, he said.
The deputy-involved shooting occurred around 5 a.m., according to Vasquez, who said members of the sheriff’s Special Enforcement Bureau “conducted a rescue of a family member within the residence and took the suspect into custody.” No injuries were reported.
Gonzalez is being held in lieu of $235,000 bail at the Southwest Detention Center in Murrieta and is back in court for a felony settlement conference on March 25.