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Updating Breaking News: Barricaded suspect surrenders to Apopka police

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Officer Kristin Cintron made over 80 arrests last year, but it's unlikely any of them matched the bizarre incident that took place yesterday.

Cintron, who was named the Apopka Police Department's 2017 Rookie of the Year, was on a routine patrol Wednesday when she pulled into the Regency Inn and Suites on 228 West Main Street in Apopka at approximately 8 AM.

Raul Rivas

By 2:40 PM, the Metro SWAT team (comprised of officers from the Apopka, Ocoee, and Winter Garden Police Departments) would arrest a naked man who had barricaded himself in his room for hours after threatening another guest at the motel with a gun. Before the arrest, the APD evacuated the nearby rooms and closed part of Main Street (Orange Blossom Trail/441) for a brief period of time.

Just another day at the office for Cintron.

Raul Rivas, 37 of Apopka, surrendered peacefully to the SWAT Team and was charged with Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon.

According to the APD Offense Report, an individual approached Cintron's vehicle upon her arrival at the Regency and said that a person (later identified as Rivas) pulled out a handgun and threatened him.

Cintron and APD Sgt. Stephen Tapscott made contact with Rivas through the window of his room, but he refused to exit and began barricading himself in. Citron and Tapscott backed away and called for officers in unmarked vehicles to watch the room. After two hours, Rivas had still not exited.

An officer from the APD called Rivas and talked to him for approximately 30 minutes, but he disconnected from the call and did not answer repeated calls by the APD afterward.

Because Rivas would not respond, the Metro SWAT team was called to the scene and gave Rivas commands in both English and Spanish to exit the room. Rivas threw a mini-refrigerator and a bookcase out of the glass window in his room towards the SWAT team in the parking lot, causing the glass to shatter. Rivas also stripped naked before eventually exiting the room and surrendering to authorities.

According to APD Chief Mike McKinley at a press conference after the incident, Rivas did not have any outstanding warrants but did have a history of violence. The previous day, the Seminole County Sheriff's Office had requested a well-being check on Rivas, but officers from the APD did not locate him.

According to the Offense Report, Rivas is an Apopka resident that was a registered guest at the Regency Inn for one night and was scheduled to check-out of the motel on Wednesday.

After being interviewed by officers at the APD, Rivas was transported to the Orange County Jail.

Apopka Police Department

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