Several arrested after hours-long standoff in Pueblo at apartment complex on Christmas Eve

PUEBLO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) -- Pueblo Police Department arrested several suspects after a five-hour-long standoff in front of an apartment complex on Christmas Eve.

At 10:45 a.m., officers responded to a strong-armed robbery at a business in the 4000 block of W. Northern Ave. on Saturday.

Based on the initial report, police said individuals in a white SUV in a parking lot snatched a purse from a woman after "brushing her leg with the vehicle."

According to police, responding officers noticed the suspects matched the description of the same people involved in another strong-armed robbery that happened on Friday.

Police identified the suspects as 32-year-old Ashley Cooper and 39-year-old Samuel Rivera.

Once police identified the suspects, officers attempted to find them.

During the investigation, police said they witnessed the white Mazda, later reported stolen, parked outside of the Casa Del Sol apartments in the 1700 block of Constitution Rd.

Police said Cooper was taken into custody at the scene, but Rivera ran inside a nearby apartment building.

Pueblo Police SWAT Team was called to the scene after police obtained a search warrant for the apartment.

After a five-hour standoff, police said 14 people stepped out of the apartment, six of them had warrants for their arrest for unrelated incidents, including Rivera who was taken into custody.

While police were searching the apartment, two handguns were recovered, and suspected stolen merchandise.