Standoff Ends As Police Storm Hotel

A two and a half hour standoff at a San Rafael motel ended peacefully this afternoon, San Rafael police said.

The standoff was first reported at 9:40 a.m. at the Villa Inn at 1600 Lincoln Ave. when a woman called police about her daughter who was apparently being held against her will at the motel, police said.

The woman said her daughter, 21, called from her cellphone and said her boyfriend, 23, had a gun and would not let her leave the room.

The couple had been staying at the motel for the past few days.

Officers from San Rafael, Novato and Twin Cities police departments and the Marin County Sheriff's Office and SWAT teams and hostage negotiators responded to the hostage situation, police said.

Both floors on the eastside of the motel were evacuated.

Negotiators then made contact with the couple and around 12:15 p.m. officers heard a gunshot fired and immediately entered the room, using loud diversionary devices, according to police.

Once they entered, the man and woman were taken into custody and were being interviewed by detectives this afternoon.

No injuries to the couple or to any responding officers were reported, police said.

Police were not immediately releasing the names of the couple.

Bay City News Service