Thousands trapped inside police shooting perimeter in Woodland Hills

The massive police perimeter in Woodland Hills was causing headaches for people trapped inside -– and causing some worry for parents whose children were stuck at their campuses under lockdown.

Ken Taylor, who owns a photo studio on Ostronic Drive, said he and his employees tried to leave the area after they heard about the shooting at El Camino Real High School but were stopped by police searching for the gunman who shot a Los Angeles Unified School District police officer.

"The police stop every car," Taylor said. "When cars stop, they're opening their trunks. They just want to make sure the suspect doesn't get out."

Taylor said the police told him that if he left the perimeter, he wouldn't be let back in. So he and his employees decided to return to the shop.

"We locked our doors," he said.

Jennifer Rubenstein of Woodland Hills said she has a freshman and a junior at El Camino and a sixth-grader at Hale Middle School.

She said she was surprised about the shooting in what is usually a quiet neighborhood.

"This is why you live here," she said.

Christine Spence said she kept calling and texting her son at Hale  and finally got through to him. He told her that students were locked in fourth-period class and that food was being sent into classrooms.

"I've never wanted to do home schooling, but now with what's going on I might do it," Spence said. "I may keep my son home from school tomorrow."

The LAUSD said two schools, Calabash and Pomelo, will dismiss students at the normal time. Seven other schools will remain on lockdown for a while.

Many anxious parents were gathered in the Hale parking lot, just north of a perimeter cordoned off by police.

Shelly Devito was there waiting to be let inside so she could pick up her two children from El Camino Real.

"Nobody's telling me anything; I can't get through," she said. "My kids are texting me and calling me."

She said students were stuck inside their classrooms and had not been let out to eat lunch or go to the bathroom.

"They're stuck inside and they're not allowed to move," she said. "They're hungry, they have to go to the bathroom," she said. "My daughter told me her teacher said to make a circle around a girl who had to pee into a trash can."

Devito said she heard about the shooting while at work at a nearby preschool. "Everybody was panicked. I'm panicked," she said. "You think your kids are safe, and they're not. It's that feeling.... I don't know what to do with myself now."

RELATED:

Don’t come to locked-down campuses, LAUSD tells parents

Miles of Woodland Hills closed off as police search for suspect in shooting near school

Several schools on lockdown in wake of shooting near El Camino Real High

-- Bob Pool, Ching-Ching Ni and Kate Linthicum

Photo: The scene at Burbank Boulevard and Manton Avenue, with El Camino Real High School in the background. Credit: Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times

Map: Shows location of police perimeter. Credit: Los Angeles Times

Comments

[Rick A.]

Wow, finally some crazy guy shoots a police officer in Woodland Hills. I guess it may be a wake up call for residents that shootings do not only occur in the hood. To top it off lock downs are in place for a reason. All these residents complaining about being "trapped" by LAPD, yet if they would have allowed people to go about their merry way, people would complain that LAPD was not taking it seriously. Bottom line is citizens should remember a police officer, who has sworn to protect your life and property was shot. So you could not get your iced coffee after yoga. I work for the school district and my staff were not allowed to enter Hale middle school. I rather be over protected than being caught up with someone that shot a cop. Wake up folks, their is no suck place where you can avoid violence.

[kdub]

really people....if they cops werent there protecting your butts, and someone else got shot or hurt, you'd be complaining the cops werent' doing their job....you people are never happy....get a life...oh yeah, you have a live, a safe life, because of the men and women who protect you 24/7 so you can sit home and write "junk" about everyone else.....

[mike]

@Rick A, If i was in the area not only would i leave the area but i would not let cops search my car. NO warrant=me telling them to take a hike. There is no way they can trap me legally. If they arrest me for refusing to list them to them, i will sue them for million of dollars.

[John]

Hello,
I’m a regular watcher of your news and I have a request. On January 19, 2011 your station played an video of a cop telling the reporter he did not care about the feelings of the residence of Woodland Hills or how they have been inconvenienced. He said how about them caring about the feelings of the cop who was shot and his family. That’s what I care about.
Can you direct me to where I can listen to that recording?

Thank you!