Martinez standoff ends, Walnut Creek murder suspect identified
WALNUT CREEK, Calif. (KGO) -- The Martinez standoff involving a man accused of killing his ex-girlfriend in Walnut Creek has come to an end after the suspect was taken into police custody.
Police say the suspect is 38-year-old Gregory Prokopowicz.
The tense standoff between police SWAT units and Prokopowicz who is suspected of murdering of a Walnut Creek woman lasted more than 19-hours. The silver Mercedes where he was held up inside was on Howe Road near Center Avenue in Martinez.
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Prokopowicz appeared to drop a gun out of the driver's side window. Minutes before that, he looked to be outside the car with his hands up, there were two pops and then he ducked back inside the car.
"The negotiations went on around 19 hours with him some might ask why so long? And the answer is the preservation of life. We're ever to preserve everyone's life no matter what they do and we wanted to get him into custody with no one injured or hurt," said Lieutenant Tom Cashion with the Walnut Creek Police Department.
Prokopowicz is wanted for the murder of a 47-year-old woman, found shot multiple times on First Avenue in Walnut Creek about 1:30 Thursday afternoon. She died at the scene.
Police say she and Prokopowicz were "in a dating relationship." Neighbors around the Martinez standoff scene say they're glad it's all over.
"It seemed like it took longer than it had to, but what do I know? I'm not a cop. The guy had a gun right so nobody wants to rush into that," said Levi Sanchez, a resident.
