A Santee business owner was arrested Saturday after deputies responded to reports of possible gunshots near North Magnolia Avenue and saw an armed man enter a business suite on Rockville Street, according to Patch and the San Diego County Sheriff's Office. Authorities identified the man as 43-year-old Robert Sanford.

Deputies said the call came in shortly after 12:30 a.m. They surrounded the building and tried to contact Sanford by phone, but he refused to come outside. Deputies also saw what appeared to be bullet holes in a parking sign in front of the suite, with a church located about 100 yards behind it.

Because Sanford was believed to be alone and no victims were found, deputies disengaged and planned to arrest him later. During a follow-up investigation at 7:16 a.m., deputies found evidence Sanford had a handgun and had made threats to shoot deputies if they entered the business, officials said.

Investigators obtained a search warrant later that morning, and with assistance from a SWAT team, executed it around 10:06 a.m. Sanford was taken into custody without incident. Detectives recovered a 9mm handgun and multiple shell casings from the business, officials said.

Sanford was booked into San Diego Central Jail on suspicion of negligent discharge of a firearm and making threats against peace officers.