7-hour standoff in Mid-City ends with armed woman's surrender

An armed woman's seven-hour standoff with Los Angeles police in Mid-City ended in surrender Friday morning after officers threatened to fire tear gas into the building.

The woman, who initially had a 6-year-old child with her, allegedly shot at a nearby liquor store owner, authorities said.

The standoff began about 2:30 a.m. after the store owner reported that the woman had come into his business and shot at him, said Cmdr. Andrew Smith. Police tracked the woman to an apartment near Highland Avenue and Pickford Street where she had barricaded herself.

About 8 a.m., the boy came out of the building along with a male friend of the suspect, police said.

SWAT officers and a crisis negotiator were talking to the woman, who is known to police from prior incidents, Smith said. Residents of the building had been evacuated.

It is unclear what triggered the alleged shooting by the suspect.

-- Richard Winton

Photos: The suspect surrenders and is escorted by a Los Angeles Police Department officer after a seven-hour standoff in Mid-City ended Friday morning. Credit: Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times

Comments

[Pancho Villa]

The Korean owner sold her expired beer..

[Here we go again]

It is a shame that mentality sick people can not be sent hospitals for assistance without their permission. It appears that they must first commit a crime. Far too many sick people out there among us.

[Ben]

Yeah, its a real shame we cant take all slightly or above mentally handicapped people and just lock them up like the nazi's did. Yea, real good commentary there buddy. Liberals would love a fascist state.

[Duped Tax Payer]

Maybe she was mad at the liquor store because she couldn't get food at 2.30am.

[Duane]

We are so blessed by our cultural and ethnic diversity.

[Tuco Ramirez]

This is one big fat crazy woman.

[TheBigPicture]

she's a looker...and a criminal...

[James]

Please bill all the cost of the law enforcement who worked overtime
to the woman not us, the taxpayers

Thank you

[Michael Own McTague]

Another crime rooted in poverty. We need to stop warring for big business and give our citizens a decent standard of living, better education and mental health care that is sorely needed. 60% of the Federal budget goes to war. As Walt Kelley said, "I have seen the enemy and it is us."

[Michael Own McTague]

Another crime rooted in poverty. We need to stop warring for big business and give our citizens a decent standard of living, better education and mental health care that is sorely needed. 60% of the Federal budget goes to war. As Walt Kelley said, "I have seen the enemy and it is us."