An hourslong SWAT standoff in Lancaster ended early Friday when an armed man who had barricaded himself inside a home was found dead after the residence caught fire, authorities said.
Deputies had initially gone to the 45000 block of Gadsden Avenue (map) at 7:30 p.m. Thursday to serve a warrant to a “known felon” who was wanted for being in possession of firearm, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
The man who had barricaded himself inside was believed to have been “armed and dangerous,” a Sheriff’s Department news release stated.
A SWAT team responded to the home and “numerous attempts” were made to get the man out of the house, including PA announcements and some diversionary tactics, according to sheriff’s Lt. Holly Francisco.
After those failed, the SWAT team deployed a tear gas canister inside the home, which subsequently caught fire.
“We don’t know what caused that,” Francisco said. “But when investigators went in, Special Enforcement Bureau went in, they found the suspect deceased from unknown causes.”
The standoff ended at around 11:45 p.m., according to a separate news release from the Sheriff’s Department released Friday morning.
The man was pronounced dead shortly after midnight, according to the release.
His identity has not been released, but Francisco described him as having an “extensive criminal history.”
It has not been determined whether the fire killed him, she added. An official cause of death would be given by the Los Angeles County coroner’s office.
At least one firearm, a sawed off shotgun, was found inside the home, according to Francisco. She said the scene was still being processed by investigators and it was possible that more weapons would be found. As of 9 a.m., it was not known if other firearms had been located in the house.
Arson investigators were also working to determine how the fire started.
No one else was in the home at the time of the standoff, according to Deputy Schrader of the Sheriff’s Department.
KTLA’s Geoff Peters contributed to this story.
