Police capture barricaded man after five-hour standoff

By Mary Manning

Published Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2009 | 12:38 p.m.

Updated Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2009 | 3:35 p.m.

After a five-hour standoff, Metro Police today captured 35-year-old Billy Cepero, who was wanted by police.

Metro Police detectives, through an anonymous tip, learned that Cepero was at an apartment complex in the area of Paradise Road and Harmon Avenue, said Officer Bill Cassell. When detectives went to talk to him, he fled out the back of an apartment about 7:45 a.m.

Cepero escaped to the 400 block of Naples Drive, where he barricaded himself inside another apartment, Cassell said.

A SWAT team, police negotiators and K-9 units responded to the scene and took Cepero into custody at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, Cassell said.

No officers were injured in the standoff and subsequent capture. Cepero suffered minor injuries, but Cassell didn't know if he was taken to a hospital.

Cepero was wanted on charges including being an ex-felon in possession of a gun, resisting a police officer, discharging a gun into a building, battery on a police officer with substantial bodily harm and carrying a concealed weapon.

On May 18, Cepero became combative with police working at an apartment complex on Cambridge Avenue near Twain Avenue and Maryland Parkway, Cassell said.

During the struggle, police said he tried to pull a gun from his waistband and it fired, striking Cepero in the buttocks and hitting a police officer in the leg.

Cepero was taken into custody at the time, but a judge later released him on bail.

Cepero, born in Cuba, has a criminal history that includes robbery, drug offenses, domestic violence, credit card fraud, burglary and weapons charges, Cassell said.