San Diego, CA — July 21, 2025
A woman was taken into custody Monday afternoon after allegedly striking a man with a glass bottle inside a van near 69th Street and El Cajon Boulevard, then barricading herself inside the vehicle with a dog. The incident prompted a large police response, shut down a stretch of El Cajon Boulevard, and drew dozens of curious onlookers before ending with the use of less-lethal weapons by San Diego police.
The call came in shortly after 4:00 PM when a man reported he had been assaulted with a glass bottle during a dispute inside a van. He fled the vehicle and called 911. Responding officers quickly located both the victim and the van, which was still occupied by the female suspect.
When officers attempted to make contact, the woman refused to come out. From inside the van, she could be heard crying and yelling. Officers noted she appeared distraught and unwilling to leave her pet dog behind. As a precaution, the street was closed and additional units were requested.
San Diego Police Department’s Primary Response Team (PRT)—a tactical unit used prior to full SWAT activation—was called in to handle the barricade situation. Repeated verbal commands were made over a PA system, but the woman remained inside the van.
To encourage compliance, officers fired pepperballs into the open rear of the van and later deployed a flashbang device. Both tactics failed to get the woman to surrender. A news helicopter arrived overhead, though it did not provide live coverage. Meanwhile, dozens of people gathered on both sidewalks to watch the escalating standoff.
Eventually, after a second round of pepperball fire, the woman emerged from the van’s passenger side with her dog on a leash. Officers instructed her to leave the dog behind. The animal remained calm and sat quietly near the van.
The woman, however, appeared overwhelmed by the chemical irritants. She knelt on the pavement, breathing heavily, with tears and mucus visibly affecting her ability to comply with commands. Officers slowly approached and took her into custody without resistance.
She was not publicly identified, and it’s unclear whether she will face charges related to the alleged assault. The male victim’s injuries were not described as serious. The dog was unharmed and was secured by officers at the scene.
El Cajon Boulevard was reopened later that evening. No injuries to officers or bystanders were reported.
