LOS ANGELES, CA — A man armed with a chainsaw held police at bay for 2 1/2 hours, prompting authorities to shut down Sepulveda Boulevard in Mission Hills Tuesday afternoon.
The standoff ended shortly after 6 p.m. with the man’s arrest.
A Los Angeles Police Department SWAT Team was called to the scene shortly after 4 p.m., and residents were being advised to avoid the area and expect traffic delays, said LAPD Officer Jeff Lee.
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Sepulveda Boulevard at San Fernando Mission Road were closed to traffic.
Police were called to the location shortly before 3:30 p.m., and they encountered a male suspect in his 40s, armed with a chainsaw and uncooperative with police, said Lee. The main remained armed in the back of a pickup truck while authorities urged him to surrender.
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It was unclear what motivated the man to arm himself with the chainsaw, or to confine himself in the back of the pickup. He moved around occasionally during the standoff and at one point stood up with a pink laundry basket over his head.
City News Service contributed to this report.
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