May 13, 2020 — At approximately 4:00 p.m., San Angelo Police were dispatched to the Smoker’s Outlet at 1902 North Chadbourne for the report of an unknown problem. Once on scene, officers learned a robbery had just occurred and two male suspects fled the location on foot.
While reviewing the store’s surveillance video, officers identified the two men as the same suspects who committed two separate robberies in the last twenty-four hours.
Officers converged on the area, through investigation it was confirmed the two suspects from the robbery were inside a residence in the unit block of West 20th Street. Officers surrounded the house and attempted to make contact with the two suspects. Although contact was made numerous times, the suspects refused to exit the residence peacefully.
After multiple attempts from the Department’s Patrol Division to diffuse the situation, the Department’s S.W.A.T. Team and Crisis Negotiations Team (CNT) were activated. During the standoff, the suspects made threats to set fire to the residence while throwing fiery objects out the window. In an attempt to prevent a structure fire, the S.W.A.T. Team utilized special tactics to extinguish the fire.
While CNT was continuing their negotiations with the suspects, the suspects became engaged in a physical altercation with one another. In an attempt to end the altercation and prevent further injury to the suspects, the S.W.A.T. team forced entry inside the residence and took the suspects into custody without further incident. The men were initially treated at the scene for their injuries by members of the Center for Tactical Medicine. One of the suspects required further treatment at a nearby hospital.
The men were identified as 32-year-old Jorge Arreola and 21-year-old Abelardo Arreola. Both men have been charged with two counts of Aggravated Robbery and one count of Robbery.
An 18-year-old female who was inside the residence during the standoff was not injured. A family member, 31-year-old Cindy Martinez, was arrested for Interference with Public Duties and Public Intoxication.
Although the use of chemical munitions was considered, no gas was deployed at the scene. This is an active investigation and no other information is available for release at this time.
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