Jeffrey HintzMESA, AZ (CBS5) -
A man armed with a loaded AR-15 rifle holed himself up in a Mesa apartment Saturday night and held officers at bay, police said.
Police rushed to the apartment at 708 N. Country Club after getting a call that Jeffrey Hintz had pointed a rifle at several people and made threatening statements.
As police set up a perimeter, Hintz slipped out of the apartment at 708 N. Country Club and ignored commands to drop his weapon, officers said.
Hintz turned and as he began to walk back into his apartment, and officers fired one beanbag round at the suspect.
About 10 minutes later, Hintz called 911 to report he had been shot, police said. Dispatchers were able to coax Hintz into leaving the apartment without his weapon and he was taken into custody without further incident.
Police found the rifle in a closet during a protective sweep. There was a loaded 30-round magazine in the rifle, however, there was no round chambered, and the bolt was stuck in the locked position because of poor maintenance of the weapon, a police report stated.
Hintz told police he had come outside earlier to check on a disturbance in the complex and admitted to carrying the rifle with him at that time, the police report said. Hintz denied pointing the rifle at anyone, police said.
The suspect also admitted to having been drinking alcohol all day and police said he appeared to be severely intoxicated.
Hintz was booked into jail on two counts of aggravated assault.
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