Flights resume at San Diego airport after
nearby shooter surrenders following
a five hour standoff with police

By the Associated Press and Wills Robinson | Daily Mail News | November 4, 2015

Flights to the San Diego International Airport resumed at 3 p.m. on Wednesday after police took into custody a gunman who fired shots at a nearby apartment complex, posing a threat to air traffic.

Police Lt. Scott Wahl says the domestic violence suspect identified as 33-year-old Titus Colbert, walked out of the complex on Wednesday afternoon at around 2:30 p.m., ending a more than five-hour standoff with officers.

Officers swarmed the building and exchanged gunfire with the man after responding to a domestic violence call.


Shooting suspect: Titus Colbert, pictured here in a photo on his Facebook page, surrendered after a five hour standoff with police in San Diego on Wednesday. Police say the man had been firing a high-powered rifle sporadically inside the apartment complex in an upscale neighborhood near Little Italy.


Police custody: A suspect in a shooting, identified by police as Titus Colbert, is escorted away from an apartment building after an hours-long standoff with officials Wednesday.


No longer a threat: A suspect in a shooting, center, identified by police as Titus Colbert, is taken away in San Diego police car. The Federal Aviation Administration lifted its orders barring all flights from landing after the alleged gunman moved into a part of his apartment where no longer posed a threat to air traffic.

The Federal Aviation Administration lifted its orders barring all flights from landing after the gunman moved into a part of his apartment where no longer posed a threat to air traffic.

He surrendered shortly after that.

Wahl says no one was reported hurt.

Prior to the shooter's surrender, flights were not being allowed to land at San Diego International Airport Wednesday because of the standoff with an active shooter at a nearby apartment complex.

Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Ian Gregor said the complex is under the airport's approach path. He said that departures are being allowed.

Police say the man had been firing a high-powered rifle sporadically inside the apartment complex in an upscale neighborhood near Little Italy. But so far, no one has been reported hurt.


Flights were held: Prior to suspect Titus Cobert's (pictured) surrender, flights were not being allowed to land at San Diego International Airport Wednesday because of the standoff at a nearby apartment complex.


Standoff: Police and fire personnel are seen at the scene of an active shooting with a suspect with a high powered rifle in the Bankers Hills section of San Diego. Police Lt. Scott Wahl says the domestic violence suspect walked out of the complex on Wednesday, ending a more than five-hour standoff with officers.


SWAT team officers set up their position amid the ongoing search for an active shooter, who was believed to be armed with a high-powered rifle. Flights to the San Diego International Airport resumed at 3 p.m. on Wednesday after police took the gunman into custody.


Airport path: Residents are evacuated at the scene in the 2400 block of Brandt Street. FAA said the apartment complex in San Diego's upscale Banker Hill section is under San Diego International Airport's approach path.

According to Lt. Scott Wahl, officers responding to a domestic violence call heard gunshots at the complex located in the 2400 block of Brandt Street shortly after 9am.

By 12pm Pacific time, San Diego police SWAT team members surrounded a one-bedroom apartment on the fourth floor where they said the suspect was "contained" after shooting at responding officers.

"We're talking within inches of hitting the officers," the police spokesman said.

A woman involved in the domestic incident was able to make it out of the apartment unharmed.

"We have him contained ... The officers were able to safely retreat and set up a perimeter around the apartment," Lt Wahl told reporters at the scene in footage aired by CNN.

Dozens of officers with assault rifles were seen running down the street, and gunshots were heard.

It's unknown if anyone is inside the apartment besides the suspect, who has been identified by police but not named publicly. Officers fired tear gas at one point to attempt to get inside the apartment.

"This situation is rapidly evolving," Wahl told reporters near the scene. The gunman was described as an African-American man, aged 32, 5 feet 11 inches, about 190 lbs with black hair, according to the San Diego Union Tribune.

Authorities are asking people in the area to stay inside and away from windows. Some neighbors have been evacuated from their homes.

Two schools in the area were placed on put lockdown as a precautionary measure.


Flights were not being allowed to land at San Diego International Airport because the site of the shooting is under the airport's approach path. They resumed at 3 p.m. on Wednesday.


The apartment complex: Police said the suspect was contained inside a one-bedroom apartment, which is pictured here as it is surrounded by SWAT team members.


A SWAT team officer moves into position at the scene of an active shooting on Brandt Street.


Windows broken by tear gas grenades, which officers fired at one point in an attempt to get inside the apartment.