Crime & Safety
SWAT Team Negotiates With Armed Man In Long Beach
The armed man is in or near office buildings in downtown Long Beach, according to police.
LONG BEACH, CA – An armed man is holding off police in or near office buildings in downtown Long Beach, according to the Long Beach Police Department. Ocean Boulevard has been closed to vehicle traffic and pedestrians between Magnolia and Pine avenues. A SWAT team is on scene and a negotiator is speaking with the suspect, according to police.
The standoff started around 4 p.m. after a woman told police that her husband was distraught and threatening to blow up a federal building in downtown, police told the Long Beach Press-Telegram. Police found the man in a van near City Hall, and the standoff ensued, according to authorities. While it's unclear if the man is still in the van, officers confirmed he is armed with a handgun, authorities told the newspaper.
Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia tweeted that City Hall was on lockdown.
Find out what's happening in Long Beachfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
We have a barricaded suspect with a gun near City Hall. Police are on the scene. City Hall is on lockdown and everyone in the building is safe. I’m here at City Hall with the team. Please stay away from Ocean and Magnolia.
— Robert Garcia (@RobertGarciaLB) March 8, 2018
City News Service contributed to this post
Find out what's happening in Long Beachfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
