Aptos man in armed standoff after shooting

A 57-year-old Aptos man police believe shot at two people in an apparent dispute between neighbors remains barricaded in his house Thursday morning, Santa Cruz County sheriff’s officials said.

The man, identified as Ralph Millar, allegedly broke into a neighbor’s home in the 100 block of Santa Cruz Avenue in the unincorporated Aptos community at about 5 p.m. Wednesday and shot at two women in the house, Undersheriff Craig Wilson said in a statement.

One of the women suffered a gunshot wound, was flown to a trauma center and was listed in stable condition this morning, Wilson said.

The other woman was also injured, though she wasn’t shot, sheriff’s Sgt. Cesar Ramirez said. It wasn’t certain today exactly how the second woman was injured, he said. She was treated for her minor injury and later released.

Millar returned to his nearby home after the shootings, and Ramirez said that as of 10 a.m. today, Millar was still holed up in his home. The sheriff’s SWAT and crisis negotiation teams have been on scene, and officers have been in contact with Millar throughout the night.

Ramirez said:

“We’ve had a dialogue with Mr. Millar, and we’re trying to resolved this situation peacefully.”