A burglary suspect who went into one Pacoima house Thursday morning then holed up in another next door was surrounded by SWAT officers who deployed tear gas and two robots in an effort to effect a surrender.
Residents of the home were able to safely escape, according to the Los Angeles Police Department officers .
Officers responded at 2:40 a.m. Thursday to reports of a burglary in the 13200 block of Pinney Street, north of Van Nuys Boulevard.
A SWAT team arrived to assist the officers at the scene, and after deploying tear gas around 7:45 a.m., the house appeared to catch fire, according to reports from the scene.
Intersections around the home were closed off for the public’s safety, according to a report from the scene.
The suspect is known to the residents, who reported there is a gun in the home, according to FOX11, which reported that the suspect may be in a back room that is not attached to the house.