THOUSAND OAKS, CA – A 36-year-old Ventura County man is behind bars after a SWAT team forcibly entered a Thousand Oaks home Sunday to rescue his elderly parents who were being held captive at knifepoint.
The Hostage Situation
Ventura County sheriff’s deputies rushed to a home in the 3500 block of Mapleknoll Place around 1:30 p.m. Sunday. Dispatchers received emergency calls that an adult son, identified as Aaron Lieberman, was armed with a knife, threatening to kill his parents, and blocking them from leaving an upstairs bedroom.
Authorities noted that one of the elderly victims was immobile and unable to walk without assistance.
SWAT Makes Forcible Entry
As the sheriff’s communications center maintained phone contact with one of the victims to get real-time updates, the situation rapidly escalated. Lieberman allegedly began setting a piece of clothing on fire inside the room.
Believing the victims faced imminent danger, the deployed SWAT team made a forcible entry into the home. Inside the bedroom, Lieberman struggled with officers and grabbed a SWAT member’s rifle. Deputies deployed a TASER to subdue Lieberman and take him into custody. Fortunately, neither of the elderly parents was injured.
Severe Charges and Bail
Lieberman was medically cleared at Los Robles Regional Medical Center before being booked into the Ventura County Pre-Trial Detention Facility. He faces multiple felony charges, including:
- Criminal threats and false imprisonment
- Elder abuse
- Arson of personal property
- Resisting an executive officer
- Attempting to seize an officer’s firearm
Lieberman is currently being held on a $500,000 bail and is scheduled to appear in Ventura County Superior Court.
