Deputy Kills Armed Man After Five-Hour Standoff

A 26-year-old man armed with a loaded shotgun emerged from his Covina home after a five-hour standoff Monday and was shot to death by a sheriff’s deputy when he refused to drop the gun, authorities said.

Christopher Chandler died at 6:40 a.m. at the scene, said Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputy Larry Mead.

Covina Police Lt. Ron McKee said Chandler and his stepfather, Paul Ellis, 58, were arguing over money when Ellis shot at his stepson in the house the two shared. Chandler took the gun from Ellis, McKee said. Police are uncertain whether Chandler shot at Ellis.

Ellis called police about 1:30 a.m and when officers arrived at the home in the 200 block of East Cypress Street, they told Ellis to leave. Chandler’s brother, Bud Ellis, and his girlfriend also left the house unharmed, police said.

But McKee said Chandler yelled that he was “not coming out, and you’ll have to come in and get me.” After police heard gunfire, they called the sheriff’s special weapons team.

Sixteen homes on the block were evacuated and an undetermined number of people were housed at Joslyn Senior Center, authorities said.

Deputies surrounded the house and tried to talk Chandler out. At 6:35 a.m., Chandler stepped through a side door with a loaded 12-gauge shotgun, authorities said. When he raised the gun, a deputy shot him in the chest, they said.

Paul Ellis was booked on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, Mead said. Covina police said he was released Monday, pending further investigation by sheriff’s homicide detectives.

Residents on the block were allowed to return home about 7:30 a.m.