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

West Hollywood standoff ends after authorities whiff in search for gunman

Authorities whiffed in the search for the alleged gunman after staging an hours-long standoff in West Hollywood. The suspect is wanted for shooting a woman, leaving her hospitalized Friday.

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.

Hours-long standoff comes to unsettling end

Law enforcement personnel said a suspect who fired multiple rounds from inside a West Hollywood apartment building barricaded inside for hours. However, when deputies made entry inside, the unit was empty with no suspect in sight.

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.