Hermosa Beach, CA: Christmas Eve festivities in one Hermosa Beach neighborhood were disrupted when they were forced to leave their homes following a standoff that ended with a man’s death. 911 was called to report a domestic violence incident on Christmas Eve. The incident came to a tragic end when the suspect was found dead, according to authorities. The whole thing began around 3:30 p.m. in the 600 block of 11th Street, where witnesses reported hearing a loud argument and seeing a man with a gun.
Hermosa Beach Police said that they discovered a domestic incident had occurred, with the male suspect making verbal threats that prompted the victim and other family members to flee the residence. A witness said that several of their neighbors heard a loud argument and saw a man armed with a gun. As soon as the police arrived, the suspect barricaded himself inside and refused to speak with them.
Around 4:30 p.m., the situation escalated when the garage of the two-story home caught fire. As the flames spread, they engulfed the rest of the building, forcing firefighters to take a defensive approach to protect themselves and neighboring properties. During the standoff, there were reports of explosions, possibly gunshots, but no officers believed they were targeted.
Due to the volatile nature of the situation, several neighbors were evacuated. As the standoff continued into the evening, authorities decided to enter the home at approximately 9:30 p.m. in an attempt to arrest the suspect. However, they made a grim discovery – the suspect was found dead inside the garage. The authorities have not released the suspect’s name at this time.
No other victims were found inside the home, but a pet dog was rescued and returned to the family. The county coroner’s office will determine the cause of the suspect’s death, and the L.A. County Fire Department is still investigating the cause of the fire.
On Christmas Day, shaken residents were still processing the fact that a deadly standoff had taken place in their neighborhood, especially on such an auspicious occasion. One resident advised, “A lot of people were having Christmas Eve parties, and all of a sudden, instead of the Christmas Eve party, they are standing in the middle of the street seeing all these cops and firefighters.”