Sisters resident holds break-in suspect at gunpoint

(Update: Huber not charged with burglary)

A 43-year-old Sisters man who broke down a home’s back door early Monday morning was confronted by a homeowner armed with a rifle, who later held him at gunpoint until Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies arrived, officials said.

Deputies were dispatched shortly before 2 a.m. to the report of a burglary in progress at a home in the 1600 block of West Carson Avenue, Sgt. Troy Gotchy said.

Dispatch advised deputies an unknown man had entered a home by breaking down the back door. The man, later identified as Ryan Paul Huber, was confronted by the homeowner who was armed with a rifle, Gotchy said.

Huber left the home after the confrontation, went to a neighboring home and began ringing the doorbell, Gotchy said. That homeowner also called 911 and told Huber to leave.

Huber then walked back to the area of the home he broke into, where he was again confronted by the armed homeowner, who held him at gunpoint until deputies arrived. Huber was detained at the scene without further incident.

Gotchy said Huber told deputies he believed his family, who lives nearby, was in grave danger and being held hostage. Several deputies went to Huber’s home to conduct a welfare check and found everyone safe and asleep.

Huber was arrested and booked into the county jail in Bend on charges of first-degree burglary, second-degree criminal mischief and first-degree criminal trespass.

Prosecutors, however, only charged Huber with misdemeanor criminal trespass and criminal mischief. He was arraigned Monday and is due to enter a plea to the charges on Sept. 27.

No one was injured during the incident, Gotchy said.

Sheriff’s deputies were assisted at the scene by Black Butte Ranch police.