CLEARLAKE – The county's SWAT and negotiation teams were called out late Saturday night to respond to a situation involving a Clearlake man who allegedly fired shots at an unoccupied vehicle and later barricaded himself in a residence.

Ameni Kawmen Crockett, 36, was arrested Sunday morning on several felony and misdemeanor charges – including assault with a firearm – after the SWAT team forced him out of a trailer, according to Sgt. Rodd Joseph of the Clearlake Police Department.

Joseph said that just after 10:30 p.m. Saturday police received a report of multiple shots fired in the area of Cass and Huron avenues, located off Old Highway 53.

One of witnesses to the incident followed Crockett back to a unit at Lakeland Resort on Old Highway 53, he said.

Joseph and another officer were the first on scene, and he said witnesses pointed them to the Lakeland Resort unit where Crockett had barricaded himself.

Clearlake Police – with the assistance of the Lake County Sheriff's Office – established a perimeter around the scene. Using the public address system in Joseph's car, authorities tried to call Crockett out, but he refused to comply, Joseph said.

Because they believed Crockett could be armed with a handgun, along with his refusal to come out, the Lake County SWAT Team and the hostage negotiation team were called at about 11 p.m. Saturday, according to Joseph.

Joseph said Old Highway 53 was closed to traffic and neighbors in the units next to that in which Crockett was barricaded were evacuated to Clearlake City Hall.

The SWAT team arrived about an hour and a half later after the group was called, Joseph said. As the SWAT team members were getting suited up, the Lake County District Attorney's Office was contacted and that agency sent out an investigator, who responded to the Clearlake Police Department to begin working on a search warrant.

When the SWAT team got on scene they tried unsuccessfully to get Crockett out of the residence. Joseph said that during the coming hours the hostage negotiation team established phone contact with Crockett and continued a dialogue with him.

Finally, at about 7 a.m. Sunday, Judge Stephen Hedstrom signed the search warrant prepared by the district attorney's investigator, Joseph said.

The SWAT team deployed a camera which determined Crockett still was inside the Lakeland Resort unit, Joseph said.

Once police had the search warrant and it became clear that Crockett wasn't going to come out on his own, Joseph said the SWAT team deployed chemicals into the trailer.

Within a few minutes, Crockett came out the back door and was taken into custody just after 7 a.m. Joseph said Crockett was treated for the teargas and arrested.

Clearlake Police officers then conducted a search of the trailer, finding no one else inside, Joseph said.

In the area where the shots originally were reported, police found two bullets in a vehicle and one in a parked boat near the intersection of Cass and Huron avenues, according to Joseph.

While the investigation is still pending, Joseph said Crockett – who has had numerous contacts with Clearlake Police – already has been charged with two counts of assault with a firearm on a person.

“There were two people standing near the car when the shots were fired,” he said.

Crockett, who is a convicted felon, also was charged with being a prohibited person in possession of ammunition, exhibiting a firearm, willful discharge of a firearm in a negligent manner, shooting at an unoccupied vehicle or dwelling, and obstructing or resisting a peace office, Joseph said.

Joseph said Crockett also allegedly was found in possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia, which resulted in additional charges.

Crockett's bail has been set at $10,000, according to Lake County Jail records.

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