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Assault Suspect Dead In Barricade At Hollywood Motel

HOLLYWOOD (CBSLA.com) - A suspect involved in a police shooting was dead Thursday after he barricaded himself inside a Hollywood motel for about four hours, police said.

Officers went to the 1700 block of Whitley Avenue about 11 a.m. in response to a shots fired call, said Los Angeles police Officer Drake Madison.

Evacuations were ordered and a police perimeter was set up while SWAT team was called in around 11 a.m.

By 5 p.m., much of the area was still closed to pedestrian and vehicular traffic while the investigation into the shooting took place.

An LAPD spokesperson says police made contact with the suspect and an officer-involved shooting occurred.

The suspect retreated into a motel room, Initial reports indicated he was taken into custody a short time later, but police later said he had died.

Reporting from the scene of the Motel 6, CBS 2's Dave Lopez spoke to people at the motel who said the incident started when the man refused, for whatever reason, to check out.

One witness told Lopez the suspect "just went crazy."

The man was apparently angry that he was being asked to check out.

"Sp we get to the lobby," said witness Jonsey Harp, "maybe ten steps into the lobby and I hear five shots. Bam. bam, bam, bam, bam. We ran (back) to our room."

"He was in the room across the hall from me," said witness Edie Littleseal,  "So I just dove for the side of the bed." She said she didn't move for the next hour and a half.

"I was afraid to stand up," she said, "but the SWAT team got me out."

At least two officers fired their weapons at the suspect but it was still unclear if he was hit by their gunfire or died at his own hand.

(© Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)

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