2 Suspects Arrested After Standoff With Police in Valley Village

After a nine-hour standoff, two suspects who had barricaded themselves in an apartment on the 5300 block of Radford Avenue off Magnolia Boulevard in Valley Village finally surrended to police at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday.

Along with the two suspects, a man and a woman, two infants—ages 18 months and 3 years old—were also taken from the home. Los Angeles Police Department Lt. Alan Hamilton from the North Hollywood Division said the children were related to one of the suspects.

Police still had the cul-de-sac at the end of Weddington Street blocked off into the afternoon and were reportedly seaching the apartment for weapons. The names and ages of the suspects have not been released.

Hamilton said the standoff began early Saturday morning when police responded to reports of loud music at the residence just behind When police arrived at 2:30 a.m., the music had been turned off. Police were called back again when the music resumed at 3:30 a.m.

When police arrived the second time, the male suspect had reportedly damaged the windshields of several parked cars in the area. Neighborhood resident Sandra Depasquale, who was evacuated from her apartment during the standoff, said the suspect had shot out the windshields with a pellet gun.

Police couldn't confirm what weapon the suspect had used, but Hamilton side he had caused more than $1,000 worth of damage.

After the officers who reponded confronted the suspect, he ran into his apartment and barricaded himself in. Hamilton wouldn't say what weapons the suspect threatnened the officers with, but said the suspect indicated he "would act in a hazardous manner."

LAPD Bomb Squad vehicles were on scene during the standoff.

When the officers learned that there were children in the residence as well, SWAT officers were called in and the standoff ensued.

Bewildered residents on the quiet street woke up to find their street blocked off with police tape and LAPD officers swarming outside their apartments. Many had been unaware of the standoff just blocks from their residences until they stepped outside.

Depasquale was one of the few people who police had woken up at about 5 a.m. and told to evacuate the area.

"It was very disorienting," Depasquale said of being roused by the police. She said she only had time to grab her dog before she had to leave.

Donald Okparoacha was another resident who was forced to leave the area. He said he took his family to breakfast before he returned to see if he could go back into his apartment.

"This kind of thing has never happened in the neighborhood," he said.