A woman who barricaded herself in a Van Nuys residence for more than eight hours Wednesday following a domestic violence incident involving her LAPD detective boyfriend was arrested by a police SWAT team that fired tear gas into the home.
Officers first went to the residence in the 14900 block of Lemay Street, near Kester Avenue, in response to a domestic violence call from the woman’s boyfriend around 12:15 a.m.
A SWAT team was summoned after the 59-year-old woman, a former LAPD communications division employee, refused to leave the house, police said. Officers at the scene believed the woman might have access to a high-caliber weapon, Sgt. Brian Eldridge said.
Negotiators worked all night to persuade her to surrender, but she refused, even after tear gas was pumped into the residence, said Capt. Andy Neiman.
Shortly before 9 a.m., SWAT officers entered the residence and took the woman into custody using a Taser, and she was medically evaluated for possible injuries, Neiman said.
Officers arriving at the scene located her boyfriend, who suffered minor injuries, Neiman said. His name was withheld.
It was not immediately known if the woman was armed, and authorities planned to search the residence, Neiman said. Unconfirmed reports indicated that she might have had access to an AK-47 assault rifle, police said.
—City News Service