Residents of one neighborhood in Hermosa Beach had their Christmas Eve festivities disrupted when they were evacuated from their homes during an hourslong standoff that ended with a man’s death.
The first 911 call regarding a domestic dispute came in around 3:30 p.m. Sunday afternoon in the 600 block of 11th Street near Ardmore Avenue, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department.
A witness told KTLA that several of their neighbors heard a loud argument and saw a man armed with a gun. When police arrived, the man barricaded himself inside the home, and a standoff ensued.
A fire broke out at the home around 4:30 p.m., forcing authorities to evacuate several adjacent homes and assume a defensive position to protect their safety.
About five hours later, Hermosa Beach police officers and Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department deputies entered the home to try and arrest the man, but instead found him dead inside the home’s garage, authorities said. His identity has not yet been released.
Other family members had already evacuated the home before the fire, and the family’s dog was rescued from the house unharmed.
As Christmas Eve turned to Christmas Day, shaken residents were still processing the fact that a deadly standoff occurred in their neighborhood, let alone on a major holiday.
“It’s horrible…it doesn’t happen here,” Hermosa Beach resident Eileen Burkey told KTLA 5’s Kimberly Cheng. “Everyone is very sad and very disappointed.”
“A lot of people were having Christmas Eve parties and all of a sudden, instead of the Christmas Eve party, they are standing in the middle of the street seeing all these cops and firefighters,” another man said.
A woman who was evacuated from her home twice and returned home on Christmas morning was nearly driven to tears when talking about the ordeal.
“I’m heartbroken…they’re an amazing family,” the woman, identified only as Chris, said. “This is an amazing street, and it shouldn’t have happened.”
What started the fire is unknown, but an arson investigation is being conducted by the L.A. County Fire Department, authorities said.