A Santee business owner was arrested Saturday after deputies responded to reports of possible gunfire near North Magnolia Avenue, according to Patch, citing the San Diego County Sheriff's Office. Authorities said deputies arrived shortly after 12:30 a.m. and saw a man later identified as Robert Sanford, 43, appearing to carry a handgun into his business suite on Rockville Street.

Deputies also saw what appeared to be bullet holes in a parking sign outside the suite, Patch reported. The sheriff's office said a church sits about 100 yards behind the sign. After surrounding the building and trying to reach Sanford by phone, deputies pulled back for the night when they determined no victims had been found and believed he was alone inside.

During a follow-up investigation later that morning, deputies said they found evidence that Sanford had threatened to shoot deputies if they entered the business. Investigators then obtained a search warrant, and a SWAT team helped execute it around 10:06 a.m. Sanford was taken into custody without incident, according to the sheriff's office.

Detectives recovered a 9mm handgun and multiple shell casings from the business, officials told Patch. For Santee residents and nearby business owners, the case is the latest reminder that a late-night disturbance on a commercial corridor can quickly escalate into a major sheriff's response.

The case remains under investigation. Anyone with additional information is asked to contact the San Diego County Sheriff's Office. Source: Patch, based on information from the San Diego County Sheriff's Office.