Five Dead In Los Angeles SWAT Standoff

LOS ANGELES (AP) — There’s one survivor from a night-long standoff at a Los Angeles area home that left five people dead, including the gunman and a Los Angeles Police Department SWAT officer, the first officer to die in the unit’s history.

Police say a woman who had been hiding inside the suburban home during much of the 11-hour ordeal survived. She ran from the home as police used tear gas and a battering ram to get inside.

The house eventually caught fire, although authorities say they’re not sure if the blaze was caused by one of their explosive devices or if the gunman ignited it. They say he later died in a final exchange of gunfire.

The standoff began after the man had called 911 and claimed he had killed three relatives. He opened fire on the SWAT officers as they entered the house where he had barricaded himself. SWAT Officer Randal Simmons was killed.

Simmons, a 27-year veteran police officer who last year was assigned to protect LA Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s daughter, was a cornerback for the Washington State Cougars football team from 1976 to 1978. He was the first officer in the LA SWAT Team’s 41-year history to die in the line of duty.

A second officer who was wounded has undergone surgery and is expected to survive.

During the shootout, officers found three men inside the house. They took one of them out of the house who appeared to be alive but was later pronounced dead at the scene.

They say the gunman made no contact with officers, and made no effort to surrender.