ENCINITAS (CBS 8) - A 10-hour standoff with a gunman came to a deadly end in Leucadia early Thursday morning. The suspect, who shot and wounded two deputies, died from what appears to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
It happened in the 700 block of Del Rio Avenue near Leucadia Boulevard.
The body of 22-year-old Evan Kwik was discovered when authorities sent a robot into the home around 1:30 a.m. Thursday. It was then that the house was deemed safe to enter.
It all started when investigators say they received an emergency call Wednesday afternoon from the suspect's mother.
Sheriff's
officials say the man stole his mother's car, left the home, and
returned when officers spotted him in the vehicle and tried to pull him
over just after 3:30 p.m.
During the standoff, two deputies were shot. Deputy James Steinmeyer, 31, suffered a "glancing" gunshot wound to the head and was released from the hospital Wednesday night. Deputy Colin Snodgrass, 27, underwent hours of surgery for a gunshot to the leg and remained hospitalized Thursday.
Residents were allowed back into their homes around 3:00 a.m. Nine homes were evacuated and many residents were stuck inside, unable to leave, during the standoff. Investigators turned over the home back to the Kwik family and reopened the street to traffic Thursday.
According to court documents, the family has a history of domestic violence cases. Court documents show that Michelle Kwik filed a restraining order against her son on February 14, 2013. Records also show two previous domestic violence cases filed by the mother against her son, in 2012 and 2011.
Kwik's mother took out this latest restraining order last week seeking protection for her and Evan's 19-year-old sister, saying he does "massive amounts of black tar heroine daily," "sleeps all day," and suffers from severe "depression, anxiety."
But it's the 22-year-old's temper that scared her. "He woke up in a rage"... "yelling profanities"... "smashed my guitar." He had "a trigger spear gun." And even deputies, who had previous run-ins with Kwik, told his mom, "he wants suicide by cop."
It appears Kwik committed suicide overnight while surrounded by officers who were attempting to negotiate with him.