SCOTTSBLUFF, NE — Two men are in jail after a multiple agencies responded to reports of a man barricading himself inside a house in Scottsbluff.
According to the Scottsbluff Police Department, 32-year-old Victor Mata III and 33-year-old Rafael Velazquez were taken into custody in connection with the incident Monday night.
Police were called to the home on West 24th Street around 5:00 p.m. Monday and officers secured the scene. Authorities say Mata had barricaded himself inside the home and ignored officer commands to exit the home.
While the scene was secured, Velazquez entered the scene against commands of law enforcement. According to the Scottsbluff Police Department, Velazquez then ran into the home Mata was barricaded in.
Both men were taken into custody after police entered the home and located them. Velazquez was arrested for obstructing the investigation. According to police, Mata has seven warrants for his arrest. Six charge him with failing to appear or failing to comply. The seventh carried charges of forgery.
Police say one of the failing to appear warrants was regarding a trial in which Mata is charged with felony theft and being a habitual criminal. Both Mata and Velazquez were booked in Scotts Bluff County Jail.
Reports on social media suggested shots were fired during the incident, but in a statement, Scottsbluff PD said those reports were not true. They said no firearms were seized during the arrests or investigation.
The Scottsbluff Police Department, Gering Police Department, Scotts Bluff County Sheriff, Nebraska State Patrol, Scottsbluff Fire Department and Valley Ambulance all responded to the scene.
