Los Angeles City Hall found itself evacuated on Friday after a car camped out on the sidewalk in front of the municipal building and the driver barricaded himself inside the vehicle.
Per the LAPD, officers responded to a report of a suspicious vehicle parked on the sidewalk in front of City Hall just after 4 p.m. on Friday.
“The driver, an adult male, refused to exit and comply with officers’ commands,” the statement continued. “SWAT was requested to establish comms. The driver was taken into custody without further incident. Streets in the area will remain closed until the vehicle is cleared.”
Mayor Karen Bass also issued a statement on X after the incident, where she confirmed the suspect was now in custody and that the LAPD Bomb squad was on the scene.
She added, “Thank you to all of the brave first responders who safely resolved this situation with compassion and urgency.”
Prior to this update, Bass informed her constituents that City Hall was being “evacuated out of an abundance of caution.”
According to reports, two handmade signs were presented on the dashboard of the vehicle and read: “Don’t want to hurt nobody” and “I need ur help D Trump US vet.”
The suspect, who has been described as an older man with long gray hair, also had a handicap placard on display. He had reportedly barricaded himself inside his car for two hours before peacefully surrendering himself to the police.
The LAPD have yet to reveal the identity of the suspect.
