Domestic violence suspect arrested after five-hour standoff at Spokane motel

Spokane police arrested a domestic violence suspect Monday morning after a five-hour standoff in which he barricaded himself in a motel room on Sunset Hill.

A woman called 911 at about 4:30 a.m. to report her ex-boyfriend, Alexander M. Kalendar, 33, had stolen her car and punched her in the back of the head, police said in a news release. Kalendar already was prohibited from contacting the victim due to a prior court order.

Officers – including the SWAT team, hostage negotiators and a dog handler – responded to the Motel 6 on South Rustle Street, just off Sunset Boulevard. According to police, Kalendar refused to come out, threatened to harm himself and indicated he wanted to die by “suicide by cop.”

Officer John O’Brien said Kalendar surrendered “after hours of patient containment and negotiating” and was arrested shortly before 10 a.m. He was booked into the Spokane County Jail.

In addition to violating the domestic violence protection order on Monday, police said Kalendar was wanted for two previous violations of the order, two counts of second-degree assault, one count of unlawful imprisonment and a first-degree robbery charge stemming from a carjacking.