Man Held in Standoff, Shooting of Wife

A man who allegedly shot his wife in the arm and then barricaded himself in a Canoga Park house for nearly three hours was arrested Tuesday morning by SWAT team members who fired tear-gas into the residence, Los Angeles police said.

Tobin Decenario, 45, was arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon and was being held at the West Valley Division Jail, Lt. Reggie Maeweather said.

The incident began about midnight Monday in the 7800 block of Kentland Avenue. Police said Decenario had been drinking heavily, threatened to commit suicide and then allegedly fired a shot from a handgun, slightly injuring his wife in the arm, police said.

The woman, whose name was not released, and the couple’s three young children fled from the house. The woman was treated and released from a nearby hospital.

Police surrounded the house and called a Special Weapons and Tactics team after Decenario refused to leave the house and would not talk with officers, Maeweather said.

Neighbors were evacuated during the three-hour standoff, which ended shortly after 3 a.m. when the SWAT team fired tear-gas into Decenario’s house, police said.

Even after tear-gas permeated the house, Decenario refused to leave, police said. SWAT team officers finally entered the house and arrested him without further incident, Maeweather said.

The incident is still under investigation, police said.