San Gabriel barricade suspect identified as 35-year-old man

SAN GABRIEL, Calif. (KABC) -- The suspect in the fiery and dramatic police standoff that came to a bloody end in San Gabriel Thursday has been identified.

Jose Salvador Meza, 35, of San Gabriel was identified Friday as the man in the wild standoff that had caused an hours-long shutdown of the 10 Freeway.

At about 12:30 p.m., deputies responded to a call of an armed man causing a disturbance. The standoff began with an exchange of gunfire involving Meza inside a home in the area of Saxon Avenue and Brighton Street near the Del Mar exit on the freeway.

Six hours later, he was dead.

RELATED: Hours-long barricade in San Gabriel ends as suspect shot by officers

A fiery, dramatic police standoff came to a bloody end Thursday night as an armed suspect was fatally shot by officers in San Gabriel.

During the standoff, it appeared Meza set fires both within the home and on the porch of a neighboring house. He was also seen setting off fireworks in the yard.

At one point he was seen hiding under a truck with a cigarette in his mouth and two guns in his hands.

A barricaded suspect is spotted holding a gun and smoking a cigarette while he hides from SWAT officers during a dangerous standoff in San Gabriel.

Because the home overlooks the freeway, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department asked the CHP to shut down the 10 on both sides just before the evening commute got underway. Traffic was backed up for miles in both directions as rush hour began.

Authorities shut down the westbound 10 Freeway in the San Gabriel area after an armed man barricaded himself in a house near the roadway.

It all ended around 6:40 p.m. when the suspect entered another residence and was apparently trying to set it on fire as well. The SWAT team used its heavy equipment to shoot hot gas into the residence to force the suspect out. When he emerged he had a long gun in his hands and was immediately shot by officers.

Vicki Jah lives across the street from where it all happened. Because of the ongoing investigation, she couldn't return to her home on Thursday and had to stay in a hotel.

"The fire and the gun - it was scary and dangerous," she said.

The fire caused major damage to the home. Investigators say two structures in the back will have to be torn down because they were never permitted.

Meza was believed to be homeless, but had family members at the home. They had called police about a family dispute involving an armed man.