ONTARIO – A Nampa man is on life-support at a Boise hospital after a traffic stop by police sparked a 3 ½-hour standoff in Ontario early Friday morning.
Malheur County District Attorney Dave Goldthorpe said the incident began Thursday night about 9:30 p.m. when a Malheur County sheriff’s deputy pulled over a vehicle operated by Enedelia Pena of Nyssa on Southeast 9th Street.
The deputy called for backup and two Ontario Police Department officers arrived on the scene. According to a press statement by Goldthorpe, the deputy tried to speak to Heriberto “Eddie” Ortega, 19, Nampa, who was a passenger in Pena’s car. That’s when, police say, Ortega jumped out of the car armed with a handgun. At that point, Goldthorpe said, several shots were fired and Ortega fled the scene. Pena also fled.
Police chased Ortega to the 500 block of Southeast 6th Avenue and began to search the area. While police conducted the search two residents told them a man busted into their apartment and they fled. Police surrounded the apartment and began to negotiate with Ortega.
The standoff ended when police heard a shot inside the apartment and entered where they found Ortega with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to his head.
The case is still under investigation and this story will be updated.