Burglary-turned-hours-long SWAT standoff startles Westwood residents

LOS ANGELES - One person was arrested in Westwood Saturday evening after a roughly 5-hour standoff with police.

The standoff started around noon Saturday after a man suspected of burglary ran into a home on Wilkins Avenue. Initial reports indicated the man had a baseball bat and was possibly carrying a knife.

Dozens of curious neighbors watched from the street as police responded to the scene.

"I think it’s exciting," said Danna, a neighbor. "I was supposed to go to like two parties today. I was deciding to go to one in Santa Monica or Echo Park. But this is way more exciting."

Police at the scene initially seemed relaxed. Officers helped evacuate those nearby and then used a loudspeaker to try and get the suspect to leave the home.

"[Police] put on their riot gear, the helicopters, like he hasn’t come out," said Danna. "They did get the family out and they seemed really scared."

One neighbor, James Knight, heard the helicopters and went outside. Knight says he logged into the Citizen App to broadcast the standoff for his neighbors to watch.

"This stuff doesn’t normally happen here," said Knight. "Actually, it never happens here."

Knight described the initial police response as surprising.

"It’s not like you would expect," said Knight. "It seems a little more civil."

After about 3 hours, LAPD’s SWAT team arrived. The SWAT officer pushed back the perimeter, brought in bullet proof vehicles, and negotiated with the man barricaded inside.

Despite heavy rain, dozens of neighbors continued watching and recording the police response on their cellphones.

Finally, after about 5 hours the suspect was arrested without incident. No injuries have been reported.

"It’s scary," said one neighbor. "I feel bad for the people that live in this neighborhood."