Robbery suspect escapes after barricading inside 7-Eleven in Long Beach

SWAT standoff suspect escapes from 7-Eleven

A man involved in a SWAT standoff remains on the run despite being cornered inside a 7-Eleven in Long Beach for hours.

LONG BEACH, Calif. - A robbery suspect barricaded inside a 7-Eleven store in downtown Long Beach, led to an hours-long police standoff Tuesday morning.

A SWAT team was called to the scene, and authorities closed several streets in the area.

What we know:

Police officers were flagged down near 1st Street and Broadway just after 2 a.m. A preliminary investigation revealed that a man entered the 7-Eleven and robbed it. 

The employees were able to escape and call police, but the suspect barricaded himself inside and refused to surrender.

Around 2 p.m., after obtaining a search warrant, SWAT officers made entry into the store… only to find it empty.  

Missing ceiling tiles in the storage room indicate the suspect might have escaped.

What's next:

The suspect remains outstanding, Long Beach Police said.