Neighbors returning home after 50-hour Valinda standoff are just getting over the terrifying shock

Ashley Mackey Image
Monday, March 13, 2023
Neighbors return home after terrifying 50-hour Valinda standoff
Neighbors recall terrifying scene where 47-year-old Brandon Ursa began firing at pedestrians, starting a standoff for 50 hours with deputies.

VALINDA, Calif. (KABC) -- Residents of the Valinda neighborhood where 47-year-old Brandon Ursa barricaded inside his girlfriend's home in a standoff with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department for 50 hours over the weekend are just getting resettled after the terrifying ordeal.

Deputies have not released a reason for Ursa's standoff, which ended in the suspect's suicide, but they say Ursa's body was found with severe lacerations on the suspect's wrist that appeared consistent with self-inflicted cuts.

In total, ten families were evacuated from their homes after Ursa fired more than 100 shots during a standoff with deputies that began after reports that a man was firing at pedestrians from inside the home, which is located in the 16900 block of Wing Lane in Valinda.

"And then the gunman started firing at the police and the police started firing back at him and so it was just a back and forth confrontation for about," said Alex Silva, a neighbor of the suspect's girlfriend. "It was pretty active for about 2.5 hours"

Another neighbor, Alonso Sanchez, recalled the frightening scene as well.

"The street was just filled with sheriffs," said Sanchez. "And, I was actually on the side of the house. I had a full view of everything and that's when he started shooting and I heard some bullets bouncing off cop cars."

"It was more like a fight or flight," continued Sanchez. "So, I was just making sure me and my family were ok. We were like dropping at all times."

Deputies eventually tore holes in the home Ursa was barricaded in before they entered the home.

The sheriff's department say Ursa died by suicide, but they do not say when the death occurred.

One thing they do know is that Ursa was sending threatening text messages as of Sunday morning.

"He was angry at that point, but clearly he was a bit unstable from what we can tell now," said Sanchez.

One woman was transported to a hospital due to injuries during the standoff, although her injuries are not from gunshot wounds.

As for Silva, another shock from the standoff was how long it lasted.

"I didn't know he had that much of an arsenal. I thought "oh he has a little handgun, it'll be over in an hour or two And then it wasn't. And it started continuing more," said Silva.