101 Freeway reopened in Hollywood Hills after standoff ends when man takes his own life
A portion of the 101 Freeway in Hollywood reopened Thursday afternoon after a hours-long standoff between Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies and a barricaded suspect at a nearby apartment complex ended when the armed man apparently took his own life, authorities said.
The unidentified individual, who had been the subject of an eviction notice, died of a self-inflicted gunshot, according to sheriff’s officials.
Authorities closed the freeway Thursday morning because they heard a gunshot while attempting to serve the eviction notice in the 2300 block of Cahuenga Boulevard, officials said.
It’s unclear when the man who was found inside died.
The freeway was closed in both directions for several hours as police attempted to make contact with the man inside the apartment. Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies heard a gunshot come from the individual’s unit after they knocked on his door shortly after 7 a.m.
Crisis negotiators tried to speak to the man throughout the standoff. Members with the special enforcement bureau entered the apartment before 2 p.m. and found the man dead, officials said. The man appeared to have shot himself.
Deputies were attempting to serve an eviction notice at the apartment complex , officials with the Sheriff’s Department said. When deputies knocked at the door, they heard what sounded like a gunshot. A standoff ensued and multiple agencies responded to the scene, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.
Johnny Anchondo was charged with violating his parole after allegedly leading authorities on a high-speed car chase through Los Angeles and Orange counties.
Shortly after noon, a Sheriff’s Department bomb squad vehicle arrived at the scene, a KNX News reporter tweeted.
Police closed the freeway because balconies at the apartment complex look out onto the freeway, said LAPD Officer Kelly Muniz. Shortly before 1:30 p.m. both sides of the freeway were reopened to traffic, according to the California Highway Patrol. It’s unclear what type of weapon the person had in their apartment.
CHP closed a portion of the freeway near Cahuenga Boulevard in response to the standoff and traffic was backed up in both directions for several hours, according to police. Aerial video from KTLA-TV Channel 5 showed traffic stretching in both directions on the freeway. Traffic soon snarled on surface streets in the area because of the freeway closure and was backed up near the Hollywood Bowl, a spokesperson at the venue said.
There were no reports of injuries in the early afternoon.
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