Nelson Rafael Hernandez, a suspect in several crimes in Raleigh and Durham, was apprehended and arrested at about 7:05 p.m. Tuesday outside the residence of townhouse 5028-L Sumter Square Apartments.

He was charged with possession of a stolen motor vehicle, attempted robbery with a dangerous weapon, conspiracy to commit robbery with a dangerous weapon and injury to personal property, Officer Jim Sughrue of the Raleigh Police Department said in an e-mail statement late Tuesday evening.

Hernandez fled and was observed by Raleigh PD at a townhouse on Fort Sumter Road, according to Sughrue.

“District 26 officers J.M. Rios and G. Mendez began to observe the 5000 block of Fort Sumter Road,” he said in his e-mail. “The further information … led to the deployment of additional units to the area.”

Once on the scene, Field Operations Division personnel, detectives, and members of Raleigh PD’s Fugitive Squad and Selective Enforcement Unit surrounded the townhouse at about 4:30 p.m., blocking off the immediate area and evacuating residents of row 2058.

Officers followed four men into the residence, according to Trica Huffin, who resides across the street from 5028-L and who had been watching the scene since its inception.

Upon gaining entry, the officers led 10 adults and two children outside.

But Hernandez refused to come out, and Raleigh SWAT Unit surrounded the house and entered through the front door at 6:34 p.m.

Sughrue said the suspect was transported to jail after his arrest at the scene.

“Hernandez has been transported to the Wake County Jail,” he said.

According to Sughrue, he faces charges in Raleigh, and warrants are still pending in Durham.

But this isn’t the first time the residents of 5028-L have caused trouble in the complex, Huffin said. When she leaves for work at 5 a.m. every morning, she said she sees people coming and going from the house.

And it’s not “your normal hanging out” — she said she expects “major drugs” are involved.

“These guys always travel in packs,” Huffin said. “And they’re always playing loud music.”

Trey Winoski, a junior in turf grass science and a resident of Sumter Square since last January, said there have been few other disturbances in the neighborhood. Winoski said he and his sister Mandy, a freshman at Wake Technical Community College, came out at about 4:30 or 5 p.m. to survey the investigation’s progress.

“There’s been nothing this crazy [to happen here],” he said. “They told everyone to get back earlier. They said it was dangerous. I guess they wanted to get us out of the line of fire.”

Though police patrolled the area, keeping onlookers from coming close to the scene, one student stayed as close as officers allowed to film the event.

“I’m just doing a bit of freelance work,” Jeff Boothby, a junior in forest management and a resident of Sumter Square since August, said. “I’m taking the spur of the moment [opportunity].”

Boothby said he saw the cautioned-off area when he came home. He grabbed his camera and went outside to begin filming the investigation, hoping to send it to a news station such as WRAL or News 14.

“I thought it was a good idea at the time,” he said. “We’ll see in about the next 15 minutes or so if it was — there might be stray bullets flying around here.”

However, no shots were fired.

With more than 390 living units, and multiple people living in many of them, Boothby said the situation didn’t surprise him.

“There must be more than 1,000 people living here,” he said. “There’s bound to be some crazy person, some crazy event.”

Both Winoski and Boothby said this particular situation did not diminish their faith in the community’s safety.

“The police were quick to respond,” Boothby said. “I’m not too worried.”

Deputy News Editor Megan Peters contributed to the report.