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Gilbert, AZ police burn 73 year old man's house down with a grenade · 708 days ago

This is a sad story. It’s luckily one that didn’t involve any deaths, just the destruction of an innocent man’s home. What possible excuse do the Gilbert Police have for using a flash grenade to serve a warrant to a 73 year old man at 9:30 at night? There is a serious problem in this country when your right to bear arms doesn’t extend to protecting yourself against home invasions. If a citizen is expected to surrender his weapon if a burglar announces that he’s the police, then it’s reasonable to think every burglar would begin to announce themselves as police when confronting a homeowner.

From the East Valley Tribune:


The future for Salvador Celaya and his 69-year-old wife, Carlota, was uncertain two days after police serving a search warrant pried open the front door and launched a diversionary grenade through a bedroom window that started a fire that destroyed the house.

“We’re still kind of in shock and disbelief right now,” said their son, Oscar Celaya, 47. “You’re supposed to be afraid of criminals breaking into your house, not the police.”

Scottsdale and Gilbert police defended Wednesday night’s search, saying they expected to find evidence linked to a Scottsdale home invasion that occurred Sunday and suspect Erasmo Ruiz Villarreal, 23, of Phoenix.

“This is not a botched search warrant,” said Gilbert police spokesman Lt. Joe Ruet. “It’s not the wrong house, and it’s a very serious criminal that we’re after.”

And from azcentral.com:


Gilbert police may have unintentionally burned down a Phoenix home Wednesday during an attempt to serve a search warrant that resulted in police dodging bullets and arresting a 73-year-old man.

Sgt. Andrew Duncan, spokesman for Gilbert police, said Gilbert Tactical Operations Unit and Scottsdale police jointly served the warrant at a home near Eighth Street and Southern Avenue around 9:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Duncan said police were searching for evidence of 23-year-old Erasmo Ruiz Villarreal’s suspected involvement in a Scottsdale home invasion and a Gilbert carjacking.
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They were not serving an arrest warrant for Villarreal, he said.

Duncan said police announced their presence at the house, and when no one responded, pried the door open.

— SWAT Team

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