Barricaded Robbery Suspect Forces Sherman Oaks Motel Evacuation

SHERMAN OAKS, CA — A robbery suspect held police at bay for hours Wednesday morning holed up in a Sherman Oaks motel until a SWAT Team smoked him out.

The standoff began at round 11:35 p.m. Tuesday when officers received a call of a robbery in progress at the 777 Motor Inn in the 4700 block of Sepulveda Boulevard, according to Los Angeles police Sgt. Luis Rosas. A single male suspect barricaded himself in a room and stayed their as SWAT officers fired rubber bullets at the window. They ordered the man out of the room, but he barricaded himself and stayed there until about 5:30 a.m. when officers lobbed tear gas canisters into the room.

Once smoked out by the gas, the suspect surrendered without further incident. The rest of the hotel was evacuated during the standoff NBC4 reported.

City News Service contributed to this report.