Suspect dead by suicide after standoff with deputies that lasted more than 48 hours at Valinda home
VALINDA, Calif. (KABC) -- A standoff involving an armed man and sheriff's deputies ended Sunday at a home in the San Gabriel Valley - more than 48 hours after the suspect exchanged gunfire with deputies and opened fire on pedestrians, authorities said.
Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda Solis announced in a statement Sunday afternoon that the suspect died by suicide.
Aerial footage showed holes in the roof of the home where the suspect was barricaded in. An armored vehicle from law enforcement was brushed up against the side of the home.
LASD Cmdr. Thomas Giandomenico said in an evening news conference Sunday that they created those holes on the roof to insert cameras inside.
"We had to make sure that everything was done to perfection and with the utmost safety, and in that process it takes time, and all the while being hindered by being shot at," Giandomenico said when asked why the standoff lasted for more than two days.
Authorities said the suspect was found alone in the home around 4 p.m. It's believed the suspect was holed up his girlfriend's home, Giandomenico said.
Residents in the surrounding area were forced to stay elsewhere after the standoff began shortly before 2:30 p.m. Friday.
The incident began when the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department received a report about someone firing shots at passersby in Valinda's 16900 block of Wing Lane.
The man opened fire on deputies when they arrived at the scene, a sheriff's spokesperson said.
There was no indication that anyone was struck by gunfire, but a lengthy standoff ensued. The department's Special Enforcement Bureau was called to assist deputies and convince the suspect to surrender peacefully.
Some residents were stunned by the length of standoff.
"It's still ongoing, all night... That is just crazy. It's crazy and sad," Janet Torres said Saturday.
One woman was taken to a hospital from the scene with injuries unrelated to the shooting, sheriff's officials said. The woman's condition was unclear, as were the nature of her injuries. No other injuries were reported.
"My office is reuniting families and coordinating so that they can get back to their homes safely," Solis said regarding residents who were evacuated from their homes during the barricade.
City News Service contributed to this report.
