EUNICE, La. (KLFY) – A Eunice man accused of threatening his step-children with an assault rifle was arrested Monday, according to the St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s Office.

Sheriff Bobby Guidroz said the incident happened around 3:42 p.m. in the 1400 block of Jacob Road near Eunice.

“It was pretty hectic, they had the St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s Department out here,” said neighbor Mike House. “They were suited up with bulletproof vests and everything on.”

Reports claimed Frederick Demall Stevens, 32, of Eunice, was pointing a rifle at some children and threatening them.

Other calls to the sheriff’s office claimed Stevens was beating an 18-year-old female and threatening a 15-year-old.

“The man had an altercation with his daughters and his daughters came over there and they started fighting, so he got a gun and came out and fired a few shots in the air I guess to scare them off, and that’s what got everybody in the neighborhood scared,” explained House.

Sheriff Guidroz says Stevens also allegedly fired between six and seven shots, and ran inside his home when deputies arrived.

House recalls what happened in the moments before police arrived–leaving some residents shaken up.

“Me and my daughter ran in the house and the neighbor girl come running out, her and her little kid, and ran and hid behind the other neighbor’s house,” said House.

The sheriff says a SWAT team responded to the scene after Stevens barricaded himself in the home for about an hour.

“We were able to convince him to come out,” said Sheriff Guidroz. “We sent a cellphone in for him to talk to us and we got him to come out without a fight, without a struggle.”

Deputies searched the home and discovered the AR-15 rifle used in the assault.

Guidroz also said deputies obtained cell phone video of Stevens threatening the 15-year-old female while in possession of the rifle.

Investigators determined the victims involved were in fact, Stevens’ step-children.

House commends the deputies for diffusing the situation without anyone being injured.

“The sheriff’s department did a pretty good job with getting the situation under control,” said House.

Stevens, who is a convicted felon, is currently in the St. Landry Parish jail without bond on charges of illegal use of weapons, aggravated assault w/firearm, two counts of domestic abuse battery, possession of a firearm by convicted felon.

No bond has been set.