Man Perches Along Oscar Scaffolding In Hollywood For More Than 16 Hours

HOLLYWOOD (CBSLA) — Crisis negotiators gave up after a man climbed event scaffolding near the site of the upcoming Academy Awards ceremony in Hollywood Friday afternoon and refused to come down for more than 16 hours before he was finally taken into custody Saturday morning.

According to the Los Angeles Fire Department, sometime around 4:30 p.m. Friday, a man perched himself on scaffolding about 30 feet above the sidewalk in the 6800 block of West Hollywood Boulevard near the Dolby Theatre, where preparations are underway for the Oscars, which will be held Feb. 9.

Hollywood Boulevard was then closed in both directions between Highland Avenue and Orange Drive.

The fire department brought in two rescue air cushions and aerial and ground ladders in an attempt to bring him down. After Los Angeles police crisis negotiators spent nine hours trying to talk the man down with no success, even offering him food and cigarettes, firefighters withdrew their equipment at around 2 a.m. Saturday and left the man alone.

Hollywood Boulevard was reopened in both directions.

At around 9:30 a.m., the man was finally brought down and taken into custody, police confirmed. It's unclear if he will face any charges.