National City

A National City man who threatened to kill police officers and himself after barricading himself in his home was arrested and booked into County Jail after an 11-hour standoff, National City police said Monday.

Richard R. Varela, 31, is being held on charges of resisting and threatening an officer and obstructing an officer from performing his job, Police Sgt. Steve Baker said.

Police received a call from the man’s wife at 6:45 p.m. Sunday, telling them that Varela had locked himself and his 5-year-old son in the East 2nd Street house. She told police he was armed with a rifle.

When officers arrived, Varela released his son. Officers and the Sheriff’s Department SWAT team tried without success to talk Varela into surrendering as residents in a two-block area of the residence were evacuated and taken to nearby Central School for the night, Baker said.

Varela continued threatening to kill officers and himself. The standoff ended at 5 a.m. Monday when officers fired tear gas into the home to force him out, Baker said.

No one was injured.