A bizarre armed robbery in Spring Valley ended with an hours-long standoff early Monday morning after a suspect stole a horse at gunpoint and fled into a nearby home, according to the San Diego County Sheriff's Office.

Deputies responded around 7:30 p.m. Sunday to the 2300 block of Bancroft Drive, where a victim reported that a suspect had pointed a firearm at him and stolen his horse. Sgt. David Leonhardi said deputies located the suspect a short distance away, but upon contact, the suspect ran away — with the stolen horse.

Aerial support followed the suspect as he fled into a nearby residence. Due to the high-risk nature of the situation, the sheriff's Special Enforcement Detail and Crisis Negotiations Team were called to the scene.

After hours of negotiations, the suspect exited the home at about 3:30 a.m. Monday and was arrested without further incident. He was identified as 29-year-old Gabriel De La Torre Santana and booked into San Diego Central Jail.

The stolen horse was recovered and returned to its owner unharmed. The incident remains under investigation.