LOCAL : N. Hollywood Man Arrested After Shooting at Police and Helicopter

A reportedly suicidal man who fired several shots at police and at a helicopter was arrested this morning after a two-hour standoff at his North Hollywood home, Los Angeles police said.

Thomas Raymond Molenda, 31, was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder of a police officer after he walked out of his home in the 5400 block of Morella Avenue, Sgt. Ike Langsam said. He is being held at the Van Nuys Jail.

Molenda barricaded himself in his house with a handgun about 11 p.m. Tuesday and refused to emerge after his wife went to the North Hollywood police station and reported that her husband was armed and suicidal, Langsam said.

Molenda told the first officers to approach the house to go away, threatening to shoot if they did not, Langsam said. They took cover and, when backup officers arrived, Molenda fired more than six shots at them and at a police helicopter circling above, authorities said. No one was hit, and police fired two shots back, missing Molenda.

Officer Chate Aszanonda fired the two shots, then was knocked unconscious when he tried to jump out of Molenda’s line of fire and struck his head on a wall, police said. His partner, Don Tsunawaki, a rookie, went into the line of fire and carried Aszanonda to safety, police said. The injured officer was treated at the scene.

The department’s special weapons and tactics unit was called to the scene and an officer, speaking to Molenda by phone, was able to talk the gunman into surrendering about 1:30 a.m.