Pursuit suspect attempts to swim away from authorities
A felony warrant suspect spent roughly an hour and a half in the Pacific Ocean off Will Rogers State Beach before Los Angeles County lifeguards closed in and assisted authorities in taking him into custody. (Credit: FOX 11 Los Angeles)
A man sought on a felony warrant made an unusual attempt to evade police Thursday morning, heading into the ocean and remaining in the water for about 90 minutes before lifeguards surrounded him and brought the incident to an end.
The strange scene unfolded at about 7:21 a.m., according to KTLA, after officers from the Los Angeles Police Department’s West LA Division tried to make contact with the suspect near Pacific Coast Highway and Sunset Boulevard.
Authorities said the man took off on foot, running past a lifeguard tower at Will Rogers State Beach before plunging into the Pacific Ocean.
A suspect wanted on a felony warrant appears to resist Los Angeles County lifeguards as they move to detain him in the Pacific Ocean after an unusual escape attempt. (FOX 11 Los Angeles)
SkyFOX video showed the suspect appearing to struggle with three Los Angeles County lifeguards as they attempted to control him in the water and steer him toward a waiting Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department boat.
Footage from the scene showed the man continuing to resist as he was brought alongside the vessel, where deputies and lifeguards eventually pulled him onboard and placed him in custody.
KTLA reported that the suspect stayed hundreds of yards from shore while lifeguards on rescue boards remained close by, watching his condition and trying to communicate with him as a sheriff’s department boat and a county lifeguard rescue boat held position offshore.
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Los Angeles County lifeguards restrain a felony warrant suspect in the Pacific Ocean after he allegedly tried to evade LAPD by swimming offshore near Will Rogers State Beach. (FOX 11 Los Angeles)
According to the outlet, the suspect at one point swam toward shore near Temescal Canyon before abruptly turning back into deeper water, prompting lifeguards to move in and end the standoff.
FOX 11 reported the suspect swam about a mile during the nearly 90-minute ordeal and appeared to be nude from the waist down.
Los Angeles County lifeguards and deputies pull a felony warrant suspect toward a sheriff’s boat after a lengthy standoff in the Pacific Ocean off Will Rogers State Beach. (FOX 11 Los Angeles)
It was not immediately clear what prompted officers to initially contact the suspect or what felony warrant he was wanted on.
His identity, condition and any additional charges were not immediately released.
INC News has reached out to the LAPD for additional information.
