ORANGE : Man Shoots, Kills Himself in Standoff
After a 95-minute standoff with sheriff’s deputies, a man shot and killed himself, authorities said Monday.
Ronald Leon Phillips, 57, died of a self-inflicted gunshot to the head outside the front door of his house in the 9300 block of Batavia Street, Sheriff’s Department Lt. Richard J. Olson said.
The incident began about 8:45 p.m. Sunday when Phillips’ wife went to police to complain that her husband had beaten her, was emotionally unstable and had been drinking, Olson said.
At one point, Phillips walked out of the garage door but went back inside the house after he saw that deputies had surrounded his home, the lieutenant said.
In a telephone conversation with deputies, Phillips said he had a gun, was not coming out and challenged them to come and get him, Olson said.
After the standoff with deputies, Phillips walked out of the house, shouted his wife’s name, placed the gun to the side of his head and fired one round, Olson said.
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