5-Hour Rooftop Standoff Ends In Barrage Of Bean Bag Rounds
The Westwood rooftop standoff involving an alleged vehicle thief ended in a fury of bean bag projectiles followed by a swift arrest of the suspect.
Around 8am this morning, police began tailing a reportedly stolen vehicle in West Los Angeles. The brief pursuit ended when the driver stopped and fled from the Toyota Camry with his female passenger. The woman was immediately apprehended, but the driver eluded police by climbing onto the roof of a two-story home in the 800 block of Malcolm Avenue, says City News Service.
Police as well as a SWAT team attempted to coax the man from his post and erected a ladder leading up to the roof. But he continued his game of "catch me if you can," jumping from rooftop to rooftop, puffing on cigarettes and occasionally threatening officers. Some sources reported the man as a parolee with an extensive criminal record.
Eventually, around 1pm, police shot the suspect with a barrage of bean bag projectiles, which instantly convinced him to surrender. With his hands raised, he descended down a ramp positioned by SWAT. Once face-down on the ground, officers swarmed the suspect and arrested him.
KTLA broadcasted live footage of the drama, which you can view here and here.
The elusive bandit's name has not been released.
