Bellflower barricade suspect killed; hostage freed

BELLFLOWER, Calif. (KABC) -- A man who barricaded himself inside a Bellflower apartment and held his girlfriend hostage for about six hours was shot and killed by Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies Monday.

The standoff began at about 5:30 a.m. in the 8800 block of Artesia Avenue after deputies responded to a domestic disturbance call. SWAT and crisis negotiators arrived and tried to talk the man into surrendering peacefully, Lt. Steve Jauch said.

At one point, the female hostage appeared at a rear window of the apartment and asked deputies to rescue her. As deputies moved forward, the suspect also approached the rear window and began struggling with the woman, officials said. That's when deputies opened fire.

It was not immediately clear what sparked the gunfire. Officials could not confirm whether or not the suspect was armed or opened fire at deputies.

"Whatever actually took place there prompted the deputy-involved shooting to occur," Jauch said.

The woman was freed unharmed around 11:30 a.m. No other injuries were reported and no evacuations were issued.

Several nearby streets were blocked off to traffic. An investigation was underway.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500.