In an unusual twist to a tense standoff in Lubbock, Texas, a bomb squad robot neutralized an armed fugitive holed up in a hotel. Felix Delarosa, 39, was wanted for violating his parole, and law enforcement officers located him at a Days Inn hotel on Wednesday.
When officers approached his room, Delarosa fired multiple shots at them, prompting the Lubbock County Sheriff’s SWAT team to step in. Negotiations failed to convince Delarosa to surrender, and he continued to fire at officers during the standoff. As the situation escalated, a sheriff’s sniper reportedly hit Delarosa.
Law enforcement then deployed a bomb squad robot to safely engage with the barricaded suspect. Delarosa fired at the robot as it approached his shattered window, but the robot continued undeterred, releasing tear gas into the room. The gas overwhelmed Delarosa, forcing him to crawl out of the room disoriented.
While Delarosa was on the ground, the robot pinned him down, rendering him unable to resist. The robot’s wheels even managed to pull down the suspect’s pants, providing an unexpected moment of humor in the otherwise serious situation. SWAT officers quickly moved in and took Delarosa into custody.
Delarosa, who was sentenced to 20 years for drug-related charges and released on parole in 2022, was taken to the hospital for treatment before being transferred to jail. He now faces new charges of aggravated assault against a public servant. The bomb squad robot’s role in the arrest was hailed as a safe and effective way to resolve the standoff without risking the lives of officers.
