A person drove a car into the outside steps of Los Angeles City Hall at about 4:08 p.m. local time on Friday afternoon, putting the building on high alert and forcing people to leave. The crash started a standoff with the police since the driver wouldn’t get out of the car for more than an hour.
The Los Angeles Times said that it wasn’t evident right away if the crash was on purpose. The event happened in the US during a very tense political time, just after the murder of political analyst Charlie Kirk on September 10.
Suspect Wants to Talk to the Media; Security Issues Come Up
When news broke that the driver was refusing to leave the car unless a reporter with a camera spoke to them, the situation swiftly became a security issue. Los Angeles Alerts, which keeps an eye on scanner activity, shared this information, and Fox LA reporter Matthew Seedorff confirmed it.
Officials are being very careful about how they handle the matter. The police department’s representative said that authorities tried to talk to the driver, who was still inside the automobile.
More information about the culprit and the car made people even more worried about their safety:
There was said to be a sign inside the car that said “I need your help” and another that said “Don’t want to hurt nobody.”
The driver is said to have told the police that there was a knife and an oxygen tank in the car.
There are also reports that the suspect has a note for President Donald Trump.
Los Angeles Alerts said that the motorist might also carry a package that looks suspicious.
Emergency Response and Briefing for the Mayor
As a safety measure, officials have shut down nearby streets and freeway off-ramps. The Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) is also ready to help, even though no injuries have been recorded yet.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass spoke out against the matter on X (previously Twitter).
Mayor Bass wrote, “I’ve been told about the ongoing incident outside of City Hall, which is being evacuated out of an abundance of caution.” “I want to thank all the first responders who are there. My office will keep an eye on the situation.”
As authorities sought to clear and secure the area, SWAT troops were reportedly on their way to the scene to deal with the unstable standoff.