Two law enforcement officers were taken to a hospital with minor injuries and a suspect is in custody following a police barricade situation in Old Town on Tuesday morning. “On Tuesday September 3 at 0848 hours, an officer responded to a call for service in the area 300 block of 7th St. regarding a suspicious suspect ‘pounding’ on cars,” wrote Seal Beach Police Lt. Julia Clasby.
“The officer observed the subject kick a parked car and attempted to detain him. An altercation occurred between the suspect and the officer. Additional officers responded to the scene to assist. The suspect assaulted two officers and then fled on foot,” Clasby wrote.
“The suspect barricaded himself in a utility room of a nearby vehicle repair shop,” Clasby wrote.
Officers from the Seal Beach and Los Alamitos Police Department, as well as Orange County Sheriffs units, responded to the scene. Black-and-white cars, yellow police tape, and orange cones blocked off a section of Electric Avenue. Members of the public stood on the sidewalk and the greenbelt overlooking watching the situation at Automotive Excellence. Among those present was District Three Councilwoman Lisa Landau, who represents The Hill.
“After approximately 60 minutes of negotiations, officers made entry into the utility room and successfully took the suspect into custody without further incident,” Clasby wrote. An Orange County Sheriff’s Department deputy and K9 went into the property prior to the capture of the suspect.
Automotive Excellence thanked law enforcement on the repair shop’s Facebook page:
“Thank you to Seal Beach PD for helping keep our community safe. Their fast acting and attentive focus had them at Automotive Excellence [in] seconds of a transient on the run who tried to hide in our bathroom.” Automotive Excellence thanked all the agencies involved.
“I fully support our police department and commend their swift and effective response to this critical incident. I appreciate their dedication to using all available resources to ensure the situation was resolved safely and professionally,” wrote Landau in a Sept. 4 email.
