Suspect found dead after barricading self in Hollywood motel

HOLLYWOOD, Calif. (FOX 11) - A possibly armed assault suspect who was involved in a shooting with police was found dead on Thursday inside a Hollywood motel room in which he had barricaded himself.

The standoff forced an evacuation of the Motel 6 in the 1700 block of Whitley Avenue and prompted street closures in the area, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.

Officers went to the motel about 11 a.m. to investigate a report of an assault with a deadly weapon by a suspect who witnesses had said was armed with a handgun, Los Angeles police Sgt. Barry Montgomery told reporters at the scene.

Police made contact with the suspect and an officer-involved shooting occurred, Montgomery said. It was unclear if any shots were fired by the suspect, who retreated into a motel room, according to the sergeant.

Witnesses told reporters at the scene they heard screaming, followed by gunfire.

Police evacuated all five floors of the motel and set up a perimeter to keep people out of the area while a SWAT team was deployed. No injuries to officers were reported. Around 3 p.m., a SWAT unit was seen leaving the area
and police announced a short time later that the suspect had been taken into custody.

Montgomery then revealed that the suspect was dead inside the room with an apparent gunshot wound.

It was unclear if the wound was self-inflicted or if the suspect had been shot by police, Montgomery said.

Attempts to speak with the suspect during the standoff were unsuccessful. Special equipment allowed officers to peer into the room, where the man appeared to be unresponsive, and he was found to be deceased when SWAT
paramedics entered the room, Montgomery said.

During the standoff, Whitley Avenue was closed near the hotel, along with a stretch of Hollywood Boulevard, between Wilcox and Cherokee avenues, in an area popular with tourists.