Man suspected of pointing gun at LAPD helicopter, then lying by Chatsworth pool is arrested
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A man was arrested by the Los Angeles Police Department on Friday evening after he aimed a shotgun at a police helicopter and then lay by the pool of a Chatsworth home for several hours while law enforcement surrounded the residence, authorities said.
The LAPD was dispatched to a home in the 20000 block of Tipico Street at 2:20 p.m. after a call about an assault with a deadly-weapon suspect, according to a department spokesperson.
When police arrived, the suspect pointed a shotgun at an LAPD helicopter overhead and proceeded to lie down by a pool in the backyard of the home, the spokesperson said. It is unclear whether shots were fired at the helicopter, he added.
Members of a SWAT team took the suspect into custody at 6:18 p.m. Information on his identity or booking charges was not immediately available.
L.A. City Controller Kenneth Mejia released the results of a months-long review of the Air Support Division, questioning ‘whether the LAPD has justified the need for the program’s current size and scope.’
Nearby residents, who were evacuated during the incident, were allowed to return home after police arrested the suspect.
Helicopter video captured by KTLA-TV showed the suspect lying face down by the pool with two apparent shotguns resting on a nearby table. The suspect appeared to be breathing and making small movements with his head and legs.
The owners of the home do not know who the man is or where the weapons come from, according to KTLA reporting.
