A tense overnight standoff in Pacoima stretched nearly five hours before a man armed with a knife finally surrendered to Los Angeles Police Department officers early Wednesday, authorities said. The confrontation began late Tuesday near the 11000 block of Remick Avenue and Chamberlain Street, just east of the Golden State (5) Freeway. The suspect gave himself up at about 3:10 a.m., and police said no one was injured.
According to MyNewsLA, which cited an LAPD spokesman and City News Service, officers were first called around 10:18 p.m. Tuesday to the 11000 block of Remick Avenue and Chamberlain Street on a report of a possible suicide. When they arrived, they found a man in an alley holding a knife and repeatedly ordered him to drop the weapon. As the standoff dragged on, a large police perimeter went up while negotiators and specialized units worked the scene through the night.
MyNewsLA reports that officers fired “less-than-lethal rounds” at the man, who was “knocked down but stood up,” before the Los Angeles County Systemwide Mental Assessment Response Team joined in efforts to talk him down. The outlet said the team helped negotiate the surrender at about 3:10 a.m. Police said the incident ended without injuries, the suspect was taken into custody, and the scene was cleared shortly after.
Mental-Health Team Aided Negotiations
The county’s SMART program pairs clinicians with officers to bring mental-health expertise to crisis scenes, according to the L.A. County SMART program. A city report and follow-up coverage have questioned how much impact clinicians can have during fast-moving, potentially violent calls when armed patrol officers are still tasked with clearing scenes first, as the Los Angeles Times detailed. Even so, advocates and officials say the co-response model can reduce harm when it is fully staffed and well coordinated, though policy and staffing challenges remain.
What Officials Say and What Is Next
Police have not released the suspect’s name or said whether formal charges will be filed. Investigators with LAPD Valley operations are handling the case, and the department says the response will be reviewed under standard procedures. Neighbors who watched the incident unfold described a heavy police presence that, in the end, broke up without violence.
