News

An hours-long standoff in Old Town Eureka with an armed suspect ended peacefully this morning.

Eureka Police Chief Andrew Mills said his officers were called to Second and C streets shortly after 11 p.m. to a call reporting a gunshot. Mills said a 26-year-old male, later identified as David Geter, was at his residence and arguing with some people through his back window. It appears that, during the argument, Geter fired a round at the group. “One of them yelled, ‘I can’t believe you’re shooting at me,’” Mills said.

Officers responded and set up a perimeter around the residence, Mills said, and made multiple efforts to contact Geter, first by his cell phone, then through relatives and finally using a “good, old-fashioned bullhorn.” Once officers were able to contact Geter, Mills said he agreed to exit the residence peacefully and was taken into custody shortly before 2 a.m.

“This is one of those things were our folks did a great job,” Mills said. “They slowed things down, didn’t rush in and took their time, and ended up with a good outcome.”

Geter was arrested and booked into the Humboldt County jail on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon following the incident, according to Humboldt County Sheriff's Lt. Steve Knight.