Police Use Taser, Arrest Man in Barricaded Venice Apartment

A man who allegedly broke into a Venice apartment and used a couch to barricade himself inside was apprehended by Los Angeles police Saturday after 9 p.m. and transported from the scene by ambulance, Venice311 initially reported and Patch verified with police.

The alleged intruder was subdued by police with a Taser and treated for non-severe injuries.

None of the suspect's injuries were severe, police Sgt. Bone told Patch.

Earlier, a SWAT unit fired several canisters of gas into the apartment, Sgt. Daniel Gonzalez of Pacific Division told Patch on the scene.

Onlookers watched behind police barricades in the 1400 block of Venice Boulevard near the intersection of Glyndon Avenue as several officers in tactical gear stacked against an adjacent building and fired the non-lethal gas into the apartment through a window.

"That was two types of gas being deployed inside," Gonzalez said. "One is more of powder and it settles and it’s irritating to your skin. The other one is hot and it’s like breathing in hot air, which is uncomfortable. Then you have hot air which is mixed with tear gas, which makes it even more uncomfortable."  

The incident began about 1:15 p.m., according to LAPD Sgt. Kevin Lowe, watch commander at Pacific Division.

"The situation began when a mentally ill male transient entered an apartment complex and refused to leave," Lowe told City News Service.

Residents called police to the scene.

"While our officers were en route to the scene the transient began going through the complex trying doorknobs, Lowe said. "He found a unit that was unlocked, went inside and refused to come out when we spoke to him."

Lowe said his officers were preparing to enter the apartment and bring him out when they learned the people who lived in the apartment had a loaded handgun that was inside.

"So we backed off and called in SWAT," Lowe said. "SWAT set up a perimeter and was preparing to go in and bring him out," Lowe said.

Lowe also said that his officers had encountered the homeless man earlier in the day and tried to take him into custody on a "5150 hold" which permits authorities to hold in custody someone who may be a danger to himself or others for 72 hours of observation.

"But we weren't able to get the 5150 done and so we let him go," Lowe said.

Before apprehending the suspect by force, police attempted to convince him to leave the apartment peacefully, Gonzalez told Patch. Several psychiatrists and a police mental evaluation unit was on scene and attempted to make contact, but the man was unresponsive, Gonzalez said.