Man kills himself in San Marcos during standoff with sheriff’s deputies

SAN MARCOS — A man set his couch on fire and fatally shot himself inside a San Marcos residence, authorities said today.

The shooting took place Saturday at 500 Rancheros Drive Unit 93, said San Diego County sheriff’s Lt. Justin White.

Deputies were told the man had been drinking all day, set his couch on fire and wanted to commit suicide by law enforcement, White said. He was barricaded inside the residence with a handgun. Neighbors were evacuated.

The man broke windows and demanded a telephone then several gunshots were heard inside the residence at 10:21 p.m. and the man said he shot his television, the lieutenant said.

The man continued to fire shots inside the residence while a Crisis Negotiation Team tried to talk with him, White said.

“At 11:17 p.m. the subject fired his handgun and no other sounds or movements were observed from him,” the lieutenant said. The man was found inside the residence dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.