JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Neighbors of Douglas Chambers, who was in a standoff with SWAT for several hours Friday night, said police warned them about him the suspected bomb maker .
According to Shellena Mays, who lives across the street from Chambers on Waterside Drive, police knocked on doors in the neighborhood to warn them that Chambers had bomb-making materials.
"They knocked on our door and told us to leave our house because he had bomb making materials," Mays said.
"He said, 'Ma'am, we have to evacuate the street. There's bomb material across the street,'" said Shellena Mays, who also lives across the street from Chambers.
The standoff happened when U.S. marshals went to Chambers' home to arrest him. According to authorities, Chambers failed to appear at a court date.
Police said they took precautionary measures because Chambers could have been armed with guns and explosive material.
Neighbors said Chambers was arrested earlier this year, but returned to his home a couple days later.
When asked if she had wondered what Chambers was doing with explosive materials, Mays said her neighbor denied the accusations.
"....We talked with him after that and he said that it wasn't true. He said that he was doing something with a gun and it misfired or something," Mays said.
According to the county property appraiser, Chambers' home is owned by a woman named Linda Fitzsimmons.
Neighbors said they believe Chambers has been living alone in the home alone for at least a couple of months.
Douglas Chambers was charged with failure of a defendant charged with a felony and on bail to appear in court. His bond is set at $75,003 and is still awaiting trial.