The Long Beach Police Department (LBPD) was in full gear last night, with SWAT teams deployed for a pair of incidents that have gripped the 3500 block of East Pacific Coast Highway. One man was taken into custody following a traffic stop that unravelled into something more. The man, now known as Kevin Hernandez Rivera, faced the long arm of the law after officers searched his vehicle and uncovered a firearm, as reported on the LBPD's official website.
It was close to 8:10 p.m. when authorities flagged down Rivera - a 28-year-old with no stable shelter to call home; they soon linked him to a slew of charges. He's looking at felon in possession of a firearm, possession of controlled substances, a charge for the ammo tucked away in his pockets, concealing a weapon, and a violation of his post-release community supervision, it was a busy night for the officers and the unfortunate culmination of multiple missteps for Rivera.
Not content with wrapping up one case, officers continued their sweep at a nearby hotel, where two men kicked up a ruckus trying to flee from the clutches of law enforcement. They barricaded themselves inside, leading to an impasse that surrendered only to the concerted efforts of SWAT. The LBPD blotter details the confrontation, revealing that one Joshua Burns, also 28 and without a stable place of residence, surrendered after initially defying police demands, along with an unidentified second suspect; Burns faced similar charges to Rivera's, compounded by possession of body armor, which for a man of his record, was one more nail in the judicial coffin.
