A burglary suspect who went into one Pacoima house Thursday morning then holed up in another next door was taken into custory 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.
Firefighters moved in under protection of officers and sprayed water onto flames visible inside the home.
The man was shirtless when an officer emerged with him in handcuffs just before 8 a.m. He was then placed into an ambulance.
Intersections around the home were closed off for the public’s safety.
The suspect is known to the residents, who reported there was a gun in the home, according to FOX11.
The man reportedly lived in the neighborhood previously and has had recent run-ins with neighbors, some of whom had been evacuated about 3 a.m.