A 10-year-old child surrendered to police after he holed up in a shed behind his home and fired off rounds from a shotgun Thursday morning in San Diego, police said.

The incident started shortly after 9:10 a.m. when the boy’s parents called police because the child was having an emotional and mental crisis, Lt. Shawn Takeuchi said.

The boy had grabbed a hammer and a knife in the home on Boston Avenue near 40th Street.

Police tried speaking with the child, but he ran into the backyard shed and fired two rounds at police, Takeuchi said.


Crisis negotiators were called to the scene, as were SWAT officers. At least one home was evacuated.

The boy turned himself in shortly before 11 a.m. Takeuchi said he would be taken into protective custody for a mental health evaluation.

Before the child gave up, Takeuchi said that police responded as they would to any armed standoff, but were very mindful that they were dealing with a child. He said officers were “taking it slowly” as they worked for a peaceful resolution.