by Steven Felschundneff | steven@claremont-courier.com

A 38-year-old Claremont man is in custody after barricading himself in his apartment during a six-hour standoff with police from multiple agencies.

Jorge Gonzalez-Borda surrendered to police about 1 p.m. today and was subsequently arrested without incident.

The standoff began after the Claremont Police Department received a call about 7 a.m. about alleged domestic violence in the 100 block of El Camino Way, according to Lt. Jason Walters.

The large police response, including a SWAT team from the Foothill Special Enforcement Team, plus officers from Claremont, La Verne, Glendora, and Monrovia, was necessary due to the seriousness of the alleged crime, Walters said. Gonzalez-Borda was the only one in the apartment.

A SWAT team waits outside Jorge Gonzalez-Borda’s apartment Friday morning. Courier photo/Steven Felschundneff

Midway through the standoff Walters said police did not know if Gonzalez-Borda was armed and could not confirm whether officers were in communication with him.

Negotiators were eventually able to establish communication with Gonzalez-Borda, Walters wrote in a press release. After surrendering he was charged with making criminal threats, child endangerment, and resisting or delaying an officer. He is booked and jailed at Claremont Police Department and remained in custody as of 5:20 p.m. Friday with bail set at $250,000. Gonzalez-Borda is due to be arraigned in Pomona Superior Court Tuesday, May 9.

Police had El Camino and Olive Street blocked during the standoff, and the SWAT team with several officers and two armored cars stood by in a defensive position outside the apartment where Gonzalez-Borda was holed up.

Yesenia Ochoa, who was standing on the corner of Green Street and Olive Friday morning, said the man barricaded in the apartment was her brother.

According to Ochoa, Gonzalez-Borda and his wife of 24 years had been in a “loud argument” with the windows open and the neighbors apparently called the police. She said her brother is “not a dangerous person,” and that the family has never had issues with him. He is a handyman by trade but is currently not working.

Gonzalez-Borda is one of seven siblings who grew up in Pomona, Ochoa said. He moved to the apartment on El Camino two years ago, she added. She last saw Gonzalez-Borda three weeks ago but said she speaks with him on the phone regularly. She was not able to get him on the phone Friday morning.

Ochoa said her sister-in-law and her niece were exiting the apartment early Friday morning when police arrived and ordered them to leave.

Another witness said police repeatedly ordered Gonzalez-Borda to exit the apartment early in the standoff.

The Courier, which is located on Olive just steps away from Gonzalez-Borda’s apartment, will update this story as details emerge.

Courier Editor Mick Rhodes contributed to this story.