Man wielding a bat is taken into custody after standoff that backed up downtown L.A. traffic
A man with a baseball bat who was suspected of vandalizing a Metro station Tuesday engaged in an hours-long standoff with authorities outside the downtown Los Angeles Hall of Justice, snarling traffic near the 101 Freeway.
The man was reported outside the Hall of Justice near Spring Street shortly after 1:15 p.m., said Ramon Montenegro, a spokesman for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Transit Policing Division.
Officials closed Spring Street between Aliso and Temple streets as the man paced the area.
The man was taken into custody shortly after 4:15 p.m., and he was to be booked on suspicion of felony vandalism, Deputy Kimberly Alexander said. His identity was not released.
Montenegro said the man was suspected of vandalizing a display case about noon at the Vermont/Athens Green Line station.
Deputy Caroline Rodriguez said the man did not enter the Hall of Justice.
Twitter: @MattHjourno.
UPDATES:
5 p.m.: This article was updated with the man taken into custody.
This article was originally published at 4:20 p.m.
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