Police open fire during hourslong standoff with lake-swimming suspect at LA park

The suspect evaded police for several hours in the park's lake.

April 3, 2021, 1:36 PM

A woman allegedly armed with a gun was taken into custody after an hourslong standoff with Los Angeles police Friday, during which officers opened fire and the suspect evaded police by swimming in a lake.

Police responded around 3 p.m. local time to a call of a woman "armed with a handgun" at MacArthur Park, authorities said.

PHOTO: A woman allegedly armed with a gun was taken into custody Friday evening after a nearly three-hour long standoff with Los Angeles police, which included her swimming in MacArthur Park's lake in Los Angeles, April 2, 2021.
A woman allegedly armed with a gun was taken into custody Friday evening after a nearly three-hour long standoff with Los Angeles police, which included her swimming in MacArthur Park's lake in Los Angeles, April 2, 2021.
KABC

"Officers made contact with the female armed with a handgun & an officer involved shooting occurred," LAPD tweeted.

Los Angeles ABC station KABC obtained footage of the shooting, during which multiple gunshots can be heard as several officers crouched behind trees. No one was hit by gunfire, according to the station.

The woman, who was wearing a bathing suit, then swam in the park's lake while carrying her purse and backpack. She could also be seen walking around a small island in the lake. After about two hours, she was taken into custody around 6 p.m., KABC reported.

PHOTO: A woman allegedly armed with a gun was taken into custody Friday evening after a nearly three-hour long standoff with Los Angeles police, which included her swimming in MacArthur Park's lake in Los Angeles, April 2, 2021.
A woman allegedly armed with a gun was taken into custody Friday evening after a nearly three-hour long standoff with Los Angeles police, which included her swimming in MacArthur Park's lake in Los Angeles, April 2, 2021.
KABC

Members of the LAPD's Underwater Dive Unit and the Crisis Negotiation Team also responded to the scene.

A firearm was recovered, police said.

The officer-involved shooting is currently under investigation by the department's Force Investigation Division. No additional information on the incident and suspect, including any charges filed against the woman and if she fired at police, is being released at this time pending the conclusion of the investigation, the department said.