72-Hour Hold Requested For Man Accused Of Making Threats Inside LA Times Building

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com/AP) — A man accused of threatening to shoot people inside the iconic Los Angeles Times building was being held Saturday for a mental health evaluation, police said.

A psychologist requested a 72-hour hold for the suspect, identified by the Los Angeles Times as 28-year-old Matthew Lowes, after his arrest on Friday night.

The publication reports that Lowes is an employee of a call center that rents office space on the second floor of the building.

Officer Norma Eisenman told the newspaper that after he was reprimanded by his supervisor, he allegedly gave her a pillowcase containing ammunition and told her: "I'm not afraid to shoot people, but I don't want to go to jail."

He also allegedly told his supervisor that he was depressed and that he carried a weapon because he felt bullied at work, Eisenman said.

Sgt. Keith Green said officers seized the ammunition and determined that it allegedly belonged to the man.

The incident prompted a lockdown of the Times building, which is across the street from Los Angeles Police Department headquarters.

Officers quickly searched the building and found no weapon inside. At the time, there were more than 100 employees inside the building.

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