An investigation is underway after police shot a woman who they say emerged from a tent in downtown Los Angeles with a gun and a hostage late Wednesday night.
Officers first responded to the area of North Spring and Arcadia streets about 10:45 p.m. after receiving a report of an armed woman, Los Angeles Police Department Detective Meghan Aguilar said.
The officers heard gunshots as they were responding to the area, then heard more shots fired as they were setting up a perimeter near the intersection, Aguilar said.
Additional units, including a SWAT team, was called to the scene when authorities encountered the woman about 11:40 p.m.
“The suspect came out of a tent. She had a hostage with her,” Aguilar said. The hostage was also described as a female.
Police identified the suspect as 36-year-old Victoria Bardales.
Bardales was armed with a gun when she emerged from the tent, and that’s when the police shooting occurred, according to the LAPD.
Bardales was struck by gunfire and taken to a local hospital for surgery. She was later listed in stable condition, officials said.
No other injuries have been reported as a result of the incident.
Bardales would be booked on suspicion of kidnapping upon her release from the hospital, police said.
Investigators will be searching a number of tents in the area to see if there are any other victims and to possibly determine what the woman was doing before police arrived.
“There’s no physical evidence that’s been located that tells investigators right now what the suspect was shooting at,” Aguilar said.
A gun was located at the scene, police said.
Both Bardales and the victim were described as being homeless, but any relationship between the two is unknown.
Video from body-worn cameras will be used in the investigation of the shooting, Aguilar said.
