Suspect Killed In 6-Hour Standoff That Shut Down 10 Freeway

SAN GABRIEL, CA — A man who exchanged shots with police when they responded early Thursday afternoon to a report of a family disturbance at a home in San Gabriel was fatally wounded by deputies after a more than six-hour standoff that saw a full closure of a stretch of the San Bernardino (10) Freeway during the afternoon rush.

Officers responded about 12:30 p.m. to an address in the area of Saxon Avenue and Brighton Street after a woman called 911 to report a man with gun in her home, a San Gabriel Police Department spokesman said at the scene.

When officers arrived, the suspect allegedly fired at officers, who returned fire, police said.
The woman was able to exit the home safely.

A sheriff's SWAT team was called in and the California Highway Patrol shut down westbound lanes of the San Bernardino (10) Freeway, which is about a block from the home where the standoff was happening.

Eastbound lanes were later shut down, causing major traffic backups.

At least one nearby home was evacuated, as Special Enforcement Bureau deputies were seen helping people into an armored vehicle. Other residents sheltered in place, according to a fire department captain.

Sheriff's crisis negotiators made telephone contact with the suspect, but he refused to surrender, police said.

Smoke, apparently from a fire set by the suspect, began pouring from the home and later flames erupted from the walls and through the roof of the structure.

About 5 p.m., the shirtless suspect, who appeared to be holding a handgun, exited a rear door and ran toward an adjacent structure. Later flames could be seen coming from that structure, one of three detached homes on the property.
The suspect later made his way into the second home and tossed fireworks from inside.
He was also seen with a cigarette in his mouth and what appeared to be a gun in each hand as he crawled from beneath a junked pickup truck.

He made his way back into the second home, at which time an unmanned vehicle moved in, broke out a window and appeared to introduce gas into the premises.

Soon after, the man emerged from a doorway aiming what appeared to be a shotgun and was fatally wounded by deputies, according to a sheriff's official at the scene and video that showed the final encounter.
The home where the trouble began is believed to be that of a relative of the homeless suspect, who came to the residence two days ago, police said. The residence was badly damaged by fire as crews had to keep their distance until the standoff was over.

All eastbound lanes and two westbound lanes of the freeway were reopened at 6:57 p.m., the CHP reported.

City News Service