West Hollywood standoff: Deputies enter apartment unit only to find it empty, no suspect in sight

WEST HOLLYWOOD, Calif. - A barricade situation at a high-end apartment complex in West Hollywood took an unusual turn when law enforcement personnel made entry into the unit only to find it empty. 

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department received a call around 8:15 a.m. regarding a person suffering from at least one gunshot wound at the Dylan Apartments located near the intersection of Santa Monica Boulevard and La Brea Avenue. 

According to the sheriff's department, the suspect fired five rounds from inside the building and two of the bullets went through the wall, hitting the woman next door. The victim was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. 

Officials said the suspect barricaded inside the apartment and deputies tried for hours to get him out. Around 5:30 p.m., officials made entry into the unit only to find it empty. They did find the man's pets inside the unit. It appears they confused the animal noises for the man. 

It's unclear when the suspect left the building or if the suspect ever barricaded inside to begin with. 

On Saturday, the LASD identified Joshua Findley as a "person of interest" in the case. The LASD said Findley is a resident of the apartment complex, and that deputies were searching for him. Findley is about 6 feet tall and weighs about 210 pounds, has black hair and brown eyes, and has tattoos on his face, neck arms and legs.

Joshua Findley (Photo courtesy of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department)

The intersection was closed off to traffic for hours but reopened around 6 p.m. An LASD helicopter even landed in the middle of the street. 

Anyone with information about the case was asked to call detectives at LASD's Hollywood Station at 310-855-8850.