LA cops shoot knife-wielding sexual assault suspect who fled and barricaded himself inside Paramount

LA cops shoot and injure knife-wielding sexual assault suspect who fled arrest and barricaded himself inside Paramount Pictures studio building

  • Police apprehended suspect at 10pm Sunday close to the Hollywood studio
  • He produced a knife and was tasered but he was able to run away
  • At the entrance to studio there was ‘an officer-involved shooting’ but still he ran
  • After two hours, suspect surrendered and was rushed to hospital for treatment 

LA cops have shot and injured a knife-wielding sexual assault suspect who fled arrest and barricaded himself inside Paramount Pictures.

Police said that officers apprehended the man at around 10pm Sunday but that he produced a blade and was tasered close to the Hollywood studio’s entrance.

The suspect was able to run away despite police also firing bean bag rounds and as he entered the Melrose Gate at Paramount ‘there was an officer-involved shooting.’

The man fled into a building in the studio and barricaded himself inside for around two hours before the police were able to convince him to surrender. 

The suspect was bleeding from wounds sustained during the altercation with police and rushed to hospital.  

Officers were focusing their search on the ‘Washington Square’ area of the Hollywood studio, where the buildings are made to look like New York City

Police officers move through the fictional New York set in Los Angeles on Sunday night as they hunt the suspect

Police officers move through the fictional New York set in Los Angeles on Sunday night as they hunt the suspect

The suspect was allegedly carrying a knife and dozens of police cars swarmed outside the famous arches of Paramount Pictures in Hollywood

The suspect was allegedly carrying a knife and dozens of police cars swarmed outside the famous arches of Paramount Pictures in Hollywood

Officers have urged the public to stay away from the area of Melrose Avenue and Gower Street.

Officers have urged the public to stay away from the area of Melrose Avenue and Gower Street.

Officers have urged the public to stay away from the area of Melrose Avenue and Gower Street (pictured: police cars at the scene on Sunday night)

Earlier dozens of police cars swarmed at the scene and a helicopter flew overhead as the search focused on the ‘Washington Square’ area of the studio, a fictional New York City. 

Officers had urged the public to stay away from the area of Melrose Avenue and Gower Street. 

LAPD tweeted: ‘There is currently heavy police activity within our @LAPDHollywood Division in the vicinity of the 5500 block of Melrose Ave.

‘If you live in the area, please stay indoors. If you don’t live in the area, please stay away at this time.’

An ambulance at the scene

A helicopter flies overhead

An ambulance (left) a helicopter scours the scene with a searchlight (right)

They later said: ‘Tonight around 10 PM personnel from Fullerton Police Department we’re in the area of Plymouth and Melrose near the Paramount pictures Lot—They were here to arrest a sexual assault suspect. They attempted to detain the suspect and he produced a knife at which time & used a Tayser.

‘They also requested LAPD personnel to assist. As LAPD personnel arrived they used 40 mm and beanbag which were also ineffective. At the Melrose gate to the lot there was an officer involved shooting. The suspect ran onto the lot and barricaded himself inside of a building.

‘Officers attempted to negotiate with the suspect to surrender. Around 12:15 am officers entered the bldg and took the suspect into custody. The suspect was bleeding from wounds he sustained during the incident and was transported to a local hospital. No officers were injured.’