Law enforcement is asking the public to be on the lookout for an incarcerated man who escaped from a conservation camp in the San Gabriel Valley on Monday afternoon.
It was around 2:45 p.m. when staff learned that Santiago Duran, 35, was missing from Julius Klein Conservation Camp in Azusa, according to a release from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR).
Officials did not immediately specify exactly how Duran escaped other than the fact that he “walked away” from the camp.
According to the release, Duran was last seen wearing a long-sleeved white thermal top and gray sweatpants. He is 5 feet and 7 inches tall, weighs 172 pounds and has black hair and brown eyes.
“Duran was received from Tulare County on July 7, 2023, to serve 10 years for criminal threats with enhancements of using a firearm,” said CDCR. “He was also charged with corporal injury, second striker, possessing a firearm as a felon, second striker.”
KSEE/KGPE, KTLA’s sister station in Fresno, reported on Duran’s arrest in February of 2022 for a series of charges after he barricaded himself in a building during a standoff with police.
According to the report, police responded to a residence in Porterville for calls of a domestic disturbance, and upon arrival found a female victim who had a visible injury to her face.
KSEE/KGPE wrote that the suspect was identified as Duran, and when police attempted to contact him, he refused to open the building’s security screen and step out.
When more officers arrived, Duran reportedly stepped out while holding a handgun and threatened to shoot one of the officers before he retreated inside.
While Duran barricaded himself inside, officers told KSEE/KGPE that they were able to get the female victim and her child to safety.
As the stand-off continued for hours, officers reportedly began evacuating people out of neighboring buildings and placed a nearby high school on lockdown.
“At about 5:30 p.m., Duran exited the building but did not comply with authorities according to officials,” wrote KSEE/KGPE. “Members of SWAT had to use non-lethal force to apprehend Duran according to officials.”
After his escape on Jan. 6, CDCR said anyone who sees Duran or has knowledge of his whereabouts should contact any law enforcement agency or 911, or contact Special Agent Marlon Andrews at 818-402-5073.
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