Suspect believed holed up in downtown attic

A Guerneville man suspected of firing a hunting arrow at a Monte Rio man Tuesday afternoon remained holed up in his father?s Mill Street home late into the night.

Sheriff?s officials did not name the suspect, who is believed to have fired an arrow from a third-story balcony at a man sitting in a car across the street.

?We don?t have any idea why he did this,? said Sheriff?s Sgt. Mike Raasch.

James McNeil was struck in the back of the head by the arrow. He suffered a headache and a lump on his head, but escaped major injuries.

McNeil and a friend had been sitting in a Mazda convertible parked across the street from the suspect?s home for about five minutes when the arrow shot out of the sky just before 12:30 p.m., Raasch said. The arrow lodged in the car?s soft roof, striking McNeil in the head.

?I was sitting with my friend in the convertible, and it came through the roof and hit me in the back of the head,? McNeil said. ?I looked at my friend and said ?We?re being attacked. Take off!?

A Sheriff?s SWAT team surrounded the Mill Street home the arrow was aimed from and evacuated the suspect?s brother. But attempts to bring the suspect out failed and he was still believed to be barricaded in the home?s attic at 8 p.m.

Raasch said he may have a rifle and still have the crossbow used to shoot McNeil.

Raasch said the suspect has at least one prior conviction for illegal possession of a firearm and was considered armed and dangerous while barricaded in the home?s attic.

McNeil is believed to be a stranger to the suspect, making a motive for the attack unclear, Raasch said.

Neighbors and businesses, including nearby Buck?s Roadhouse, were evacuated during the standoff. Approximately 20 to 30 people were advised to stay the night at a friend?s house or to go to a nearby homeless shelter, Raasch said.

During the day many of those evacuated joined a crowd of about 100 people gathered just past the police tape at 3rd and Mill streets until dusk.

There were no reports of injuries.

Capt. Matt McCaffrey said the suspect could face charges ranging from assault with a deadly weapon to attempted murder.

?The likelihood if you are shooting someone in the head with a crossbow that you could kill them is good,? McCaffrey said. ?I imagine that could be charged as attempted murder.?

You can reach Staff Writer Laura Norton at 521-5220 or laura.norton@pressdemocrat.com.