SWAT standoff in Las Cruces ends when police discover armed man wasn’t in house

UPDATE: Late Thursday afternoon police said they discovered an armed Las Cruces man thought to be holed up in a house throughout much of the day was no longer there.

An LCPD spokesman said officers had been told by relatives that the man, who threatened a family member with a gun, was still in the house when they arrived. The situation triggered what was thought to be an hours-long standoff.

Police said repeated efforts all day to contact the man, identified as 41-year-old Richard Espino, were unsuccessful.

When a police dog finally entered the home ahead of a group of SWAT team members around 4 p.m., no sign of Espino was found.

A warrant has been issued for Espino's arrest and police said they were actively looking for him on Thursday evening.

ORIGINAL REPORT: LAS CRUCES, New Mexico -- A police SWAT team was in a standoff Thursday morning with an armed man who authorities said threatened a family member before barricading himself inside his home.

Las Cruces police indicated the man was now believed to be alone inside the home after earlier pointing a gun at another member of his family.

The standoff was unfolding in the 1700 block of Bellamah Drive near California Avenue. It began about 8 a.m. and continued as of midday.

Police blocked off several roadways in the area due to the standoff, including Bellamah Drive between Luna Street and Locust Street, and portions of Dove Lane and Luna Street.

Nearby residents in the Bellamah neighborhood were given the option of either leaving their homes or sheltering in place. Police urged others to avoid the area until the SWAT situation was resolved.