Update: Luis Angel Soto Madera has been arrested and facing multiple charges.
WILKES-BARRE, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — Wilkes-Barre City Police say officers are searching for a suspect they consider to be armed and dangerous after an hours-long standoff in Wilkes-Barre, Tuesday.
The Wilkes-Barre City Police Department announced they are actively searching for 56-year-old Luis Angel Soto Madera for allegedly causing a police standoff after reportedly firing gunshots at family members.
Soto Madera (pictured below) is described by police as a Hispanic male who is around bald with brown eyes, standing 5’4″tall, and weighing around 160 lbs.
On Tuesday, just before 9:00 a.m., Wilkes-Barre City police received a call from a woman who claimed her stepfather, Soto Madera, was allegedly firing gunshots at her inside their home in the 100 block of Sambourne Street in Wilkes-Barre.
Several law enforcement officers and State troopers responded to the home on Sambourne Street around 10:00 a.m. in Wilkes-Barre, immediately forming a perimeter around the house to get Soto Madera out.
According to the police criminal affidavit, Soto Madera’s stepdaughter, her boyfriend, and her mother all made it out of the house safely. However, police say they believed Soto Madera was still inside the residence, refusing to come out.
As the affidavit reads, Soto Madera allegedly began firing shots at his stepdaughter for making too much noise and waking him up. Officers say his stepdaughter’s mother intervened and Soto Madera responded by saying “You better do something or I’ll take care of it.”
Police say Soto Madera then went upstairs and retrieved a handgun, pointed it in the direction of his stepdaughter and her boyfriend, and fired a shot, screaming, “Look what you made me do.”
The affidavit reads Soto Madera’s stepdaughter, her boyfriend, and her mother feared for their lives, so they grabbed the family dogs, ran upstairs, and called 911. Once law enforcement arrived all three people left the home police say.
Eyewitness News crews on the scene say police had the area of Garfield Street and South Main Street blocked off for the public’s safety and the Special Emergency Response Team (SERT) is also at the location deploying the “ROOK.“
A PSP negotiator speaking into a megaphone urged Soto Madera to come out of the house peacefully and put his hands up, stating, “No one outside wants to hurt you.”
Police say the negotiator made several attempts to make contact with Soto Madera, however, they were unsuccessful.
PSP says SERT arrived on the scene and a search warrant was issued for the home. Officers say they were also issued an arrest warrant for the suspect.
“There is an active warrant for your arrest, please come out peacefully, it could all be over if you just come out the front door. If not, the windows are going to be broken and it’s going get very uncomfortable for you inside the house,” said the PSP negotiator.
Anthony Dixon, a Wilkes-Barre resident, said he and many neighbors were outside for a few hours waiting to see what was really happening, after hearing different stories throughout the neighborhood.
“I’ve been here for three hours and I’ve seen the guy inside. I mean sometimes we do see stuff like this and it’s crazy. But, especially on a street like this, it’s definitely crazy. Everybody is saying different things but no one knows exactly what’s going on, it’s scary, very scary,” Dixon explained.
28/22 News reported hearing two flashbangs and Pennsylvania State Police were circling the scene with their helicopter, while the “ROOK,” was deployed.
Wilkes-Barre police say the search warrant was executed with SERT. However, Soto Madera was not found inside the home.
According to investigators, one of the victims told police Soto Madera has multiple guns inside the home on Samboure Street.
As the affidavit states, Soto Madera has a criminal history of burglary and robbery in New York which prevents him from legally owning a firearm in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
The Wilkes-Barre Police Department says they are actively searching for Soto Madera who is considered armed and dangerous. Anyone with information on his location is urged to call 911 or the Wilkes-Barre Detective Division; Lieutenant Detective Matt Stash. at 570-208-0911 .
This is a developing story and 28/22 News will keep you updated with the latest as it becomes available.
