Man Arrested for Violating Restraining Order, Brandishing Hatchet
A 41-year-old man is in custody after allegedly violating a restraining order and entering the Burbank home of relatives on two separate occasions within a three-day span. The situation escalated to the point where officers were called to the residence twice, with the man reportedly armed with a hatchet during one of the incidents.
The initial call to authorities came on Wednesday afternoon, around 4:15 p.m., when officers responded to a disturbance at a home located in the 1000 block of East Orange Grove Avenue. According to Lieutenant Brent Fekety of the Burbank Police Department, the suspect, identified as Hardeep Sidhu, arrived at the residence while allegedly under an active criminal protective order. At the time of this first encounter, Sidhu was reportedly in an argument with family members and was in possession of a hatchet.
Despite the presence of a weapon and the violation of a court order, the relatives at the home initially indicated to officers that they did not wish to press charges against Sidhu and expressed no fear for their safety. Lieutenant Fekety stated that after several hours of attempting de-escalation, conducting a risk assessment, and consulting with the family, officers ultimately cleared the scene without making an arrest.
The situation took a more serious turn on Friday afternoon. The same family contacted law enforcement again, this time at approximately 3:30 p.m. They reported that Sidhu was once again inside their home. Crucially, on this second occasion, the relatives expressed fear for their safety and stated their desire for Sidhu to be prosecuted.
Responding officers immediately initiated further de-escalation tactics. These efforts included engaging in crisis negotiation with Sidhu and employing less-lethal methods. The standoff continued until approximately 8:35 p.m. when, after the deployment of chemical agents, the man was taken into custody.
Hardeep Sidhu was subsequently booked on suspicion of several offenses. These include charges related to robbery, elder abuse, possession of narcotics, and the violation of a court order. Formal charges are currently pending review by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. Authorities have confirmed that no injuries were reported as a result of either incident. The repeated calls to law enforcement highlight the challenges faced by both the family and the police in managing domestic disputes involving individuals under court-ordered restrictions. The timeline of events underscores the evolving nature of the situation, moving from a family dispute where prosecution was not initially desired to a situation where fear for personal safety prompted a different course of action.