LAPD's massive 'BatCat' used to protect officers in Sylmar standoff

Investigators on Tuesday were sifting through the scene of a nearly 24-hour standoff in Sylmar between police and a gunman who shot an officer in the face.

Much of Monday's damage to the house in the 13600 block of Dronfield Avenue was caused by the Los Angeles Police Department's latest tool, the "BatCat," a 39,000-pound remote-controlled vehicle that looks like a forklift truck on steroids with a massive telescopic arm.

PHOTOS: Shootout in Sylmar

The BatCat -- formally called the Bomb Assault Tactical Control Assessment Tool -- is part of a new generation of unmanned ground vehicles that operate much like the U.S. Air Force's Predator drones.

It was built on the base of a massive piece of Caterpillar construction equipment known as Telehandler.

The shiny black BatCat can be remotely driven at up to 6 mph. Its massive arm can extend 50 feet horizontally or vertically and can be equipped with a claw, forklift or bucket.

The vehicle, along with a trailer and other accessories, cost the LAPD nearly $1 million. It can tear apart a home in minutes without putting an officer in danger.

The BatCat broke down walls in the Sylmar home, where Sergio O. Salazar was found dead Monday night, a rifle resting near his body. LAPD Officer Steven Jenkins was hospitalized in critical and stable condition following the violence.

Officers used the BatCat to avoid a situation like the one in February 2008 when SWAT Officer Randall Simmons was killed and another officer critically wounded by a gunman who had barricaded himself inside a Reseda home, an LAPD official said.

Although an LAPD report showed that officers acted appropriately in that incident, a department official noted that Simmons was shot after storming through a narrow entryway.

LAPD Deputy Chief Kirk Albanese said the BatCat was effective in the Sylmar standoff and if they had do it again police would use it the same way to get the gunman.

RELATED:

Man suspected of shooting LAPD officer is found dead with rifle at his side

-- Richard Winton

Photo: The BatCat prepares to move in to assist in driving out the suspect. Credit: Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times

Comments

[JFT]

my general understanding is that the LAPD will not pay to repair the home, as they will say that they were justified in what they did and that the deceased suspect is the cause of the damage. I could be wrong, but I don't believe that they will pay a penny, ..... saying, sue the estate of the dead man.
LAPD once bashed down the gate to my home, responding to a false 911 call that was generated by problems in the AT&T line. My phone was dead inside my home, I was home completely fine, and hadn't called 911. It was 3am in the morning, I'm very tired & very soundly asleep, having just returned from an east coast business trip earlier that night, so I didn't hear the doorbell. They broke my motorized front gate and door down. Said they didn't have to pay for it, 'cause they got a 911 call from the address. ATT said they didn't have to pay for it, 'cause they didn't generate the 911 call. LAPD said they received 7 911 calls for this address that night. It was more stress, money & wasted time to go to sue them all about it, so I just paid to fix the damn doors myself.

[Stephanie]

Seriously people - it's all good sitting behind your screen and keyboard, but would any of YOU put your son, brother, father into this situation? I seriously doubt it - no house is worth the life of a police officer - or anyone for that matter. Get your priorities straight!

[john]

I can't believe people complaining about the use of Batcat. The dude had already shot at a cop. For him there was nothing more to lose. And you want to risk sending in more cops after him and risk losing more lives/injuries?

Yes it sure sucks to be the property owner but I prefer tearing a house down over risking lives unnecessarily.

And people complaining about cost of Batcat. You want to talk about cold hard cash? DO you know how much it would cost the city for funeral of a cop/firefighter? Yeah I bet you didn't know that. This 1 million dollar tool is well worth it.

[mgruff]

Why should lapd get a blackeye for using the ram? I learned along time ago that when the police ask you to do something you comply. This idiot was asked to come out of the house and didnt. this had gone on for over 12 hrs before the ram was used. Its like people blame the police for high speed pursuits. The red light came on on the lightbar of the patrol car, now pull over. if you are dumb enough not to stop then deal with what happens. Lapd shouldnt pay one dime to fix the house.

[marco]

Great for the LAPD.....this is a tragic event but you can't put the cops in harm's way anymore than they are. Let this be a lesson to anyone who thinks they can shoot a cop.

[Average Joe]

How much is a can of tear gas?

[jonathan]

Sergio was ALREADY dead for hours, before they brought out their new toy.

LAPD was just looking for a reason to use this machine.

[cooltub]

What, the Urban Assault Vehicle wasn't available?

[marco]

wow! most of the nuts who have written in are taking the LAPD and the city to task for this. No wonder we have people (and their kids) who don't how to behave.
Who should pay for the damage? The woman who called the police.
Better yet, who is going to pay for the Officer who was almost killed! wake up people and support the cops. You may need one someday !!!

[pretzel]

I do wonder what's going to happen with the gunman's family after the house has been destroyed and I hope they either have insurance or get some sort of compensation but to the people on here that just want to cry about how the house was destroyed, what about the life of the cop? What if a cop was killed just so concrete, plaster, and wood wasn't destroyed? What about his family? If some guy is barricaded in a house and has already proven he's going to try to kill anyone that enters, cops shouldn't put their lives in danger if it's not necessary. It's just like the firefighters who shouldn't have to put their lives on the line for an empty house. If they can't save the house, let it burn. Nobody's life is worth a house.

[H]

I saw last night that the city is responsible for damages. So this was a $100k in damages paid by tax payers. I don't see the payoff

[elmariachi]

Way too much over-kill. Why not send in those RC robots that can fit through the front door or just wait out the guy.

Reminds me of the battering ram used in South Central in the 80s.

[Steve Cook]

They should call that thing the 'Big Bad Wolf'!

[stubbs194]

Settle down cop haters. Your precious tax money is safe.
In regards to who pays for the damage? When police have a legal right to be there, ie. probable cause or a warrant, (in this case the arrest an armed,very dangerous assault suspect and subsequent crime scene investigation-search warrant) the owner of the property can file a claim with the City but they rarely receive any money. It comes out of the bad guy's pocket and/or home owner's insurance. Yes, really, the city doesn't pay.
Seriously people get your priorities in order, focus on the terd who beat his wife then shot a cop. This wasn't an innocent guy that was victimized by a random house teardown. He had a choice, he had 17+hrs to come out.

[David Stein]

This is the price we pay for unchecked proliferation of guns in America. Great outcome.

[Sean]

The LAPD thinks it can just destroy someone's property?
Didn't they take an oath to protect and serve? Can't they use brains rather than brawn? What is the problem with "waiting him out?"

[bre]

Talk about waste of the taxpayers money. This was totally uncalled for and excessive.

[john]

The thing that is more important than one house is the public message that you do not get away with shooting a cop in the face with the full weight of law enforcement coming down on you... literally...

[NameRequired]

Love the comments on this page regarding reimbursing the cost of the wall... we had something similar down here in San Diego. Some nutjob was making and hand grenades explosives in his house. Result? They burned his house down.

Oh, by the way...the nutjob was only RENTING the house here in San Diego.

[KC]

Note to all of the morons on here...if you don't want the LAPD to tear down the walls of your home, don't shoot at the cops. That is as simple as it gets. Hope the officer gets a full recovery and a long healthy pension.

[glenn grab]

our brave LAPD at work again!!!...In a fair fight they're cowards, I'll bet this incident cost the city millions of dollars...who's going to pay the hundred or so cops who were standing around, earning triple time, eating donuts, and acting brave?..... We are!!!...now the cops are cracking down on the REAL criminals, those of us who use our cell-phones in our cars!!...maybe they can use the million dollar "Batcat" to search kid's lockers at the junior high!!

[Pam]

Do anyone of you, who are not the least concerned that this scumbag beat his wife and shot cops, read the actual news? The damage done to the house will be covered by either the City of the County of Los Angeles--they have actual insurance. I'm glad for the shooter's wife that this louse, who probably has been beating her for years, is dead. I hope that the police killed him so that she can collect life insurance. The house will be put back together and I'm glad that no more police were shot by this lunatic. Yeah, all you cop haters, make sure to call a gange member instead of a cop next time you're in trouble. See what happens then. Idiots.

[tj]

Who pays? The homeowner or his insurance does. The city doesn't pay.

[Martin Strasburger]

It is extremely dangerous to demolish a house like this. It could blow up or catch fire up from broken gas lines or electrical shorts. I hope the cops remembered to turn off the juice.

Whatever happened to the time-honored approach of waiting out barricaded suspects until they give up? Is it not in the LAPD budget to wait a few extra man hours?

[bill lane]

i love how cops in los angeles are like paramilaries. it's out of control. understand, it's bad to shoot at policemen, i get that.

but on the other hand it's bad for the police to be turning into an army.