Man Held Son, 86-Year-Old Mother-In-Law Hostage In Santa Monica Home

SANTA MONICA (CBSLA.com) —A 47-year-old man has barricaded himself inside a Santa Monica home Tuesday night after holding his teenage son and 86-year-old mother-in-law hostage.

Police received a 911 call from the suspect's 15-year-old son around 5 p.m. from a residence in the 2900 block of Delaware Avenue.

"He informed us that his father had tied him and his grandmother up with rope and had a gun in his possession," said Sgt. Richard Lewis of the Santa Monica Police Department.

KCAL9's Serene Branson said the teen was able to escape, but his father stayed in the home with the elderly woman.

Officials said the man's rocky relationship with his wife may have been a possible motive for holding the victims against their will.

The estranged couple still lives together with their young son and the wife's mother.

"It appears to be an ongoing dispute between (the boy's) father and his mother. And it blowed over today," said Lewis.

Police said the 86-year-old woman walked out of the home around 9:50 p.m.

Lewis said a crisis negotiation team is trying to reestablish communication with the suspect, who remained holed up inside the house as of early Wednesday.

Neighbors, who were evacuated from their homes during the incident, said they heard the 47-year-old man has a lot of guns.

"I heard he has a lot of assault-type rifles and handguns," said Jim Aubrey.