Suspect Barricaded Inside Home Near LAX In Custody

LENNOX, CA — A 38-year-old suspect accused of threatening a woman barricaded himself Wednesday in her Lennox home, east of the Los Angeles International Airport.

The incident started around noon in the 10000 block of Buford Avenue after a woman went to a sheriff's station to report Artez Oliver of Long Beach had allegedly threatened her with a firearm a day earlier and Wednesday morning sent her a threatening text stating that he was at her home, according to the Sheriff's Information Bureau.

Oliver barricaded himself inside the residence when he saw arriving deputies, Deputy Guillermina Saldana said.

"After several verbal attempts by crisis negotiators to persuade the suspect to surrender, the special weapons team introduced a diversionary sound and flash device at the exterior of the residence," Saldana said.

At that point, Oliver surrendered without further incident, she said.

"Once Special Enforcement Bureau (personnel) determined the area was safe, all neighborhood evacuees were allowed to return to their homes," Saldana said.

Oliver was booked on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon and making terrorist threats. He was being held in lieu of $50,000 bail, Saldana said.

It was not immediately clear if a firearm was recovered.

— Photo courtesy of the LASD