Suspect dead after hours-long SWAT standoff in Tarzana

A suspect is dead Saturday after an hours-long SWAT standoff in Tarzana.

According to the Los Angeles Police Department, police responded to reports of a man firing shots near Victory Boulevard and Sylvia Avenue around 2 p.m.

The armed suspect later barricaded himself inside a home in the 19200 block of Victory Boulevard, prompting police to evacuate residents in the area.

SWAT team members and police set up a cordon around the home while the man remained barricaded inside.

Negotiators spoke to the suspect on the phone and tried to convince him to come outside. However, after several conversations, police said the man hung up and refused to cooperate.

The suspect’s partner reportedly called police at one point and told them he was armed with a gun and had fired shots inside their home.

After barricading themselves inside the home for approximately five hours, SWAT members forcibly entered the home and found the suspect dead inside.

Neighbors in the area were concerned as they observed the situation amid a large police presence in the area.

“It’s very scary,” said Laurence Brown, a Tarzana resident. “It was difficult to evacuate the area because the cordon was so large. Many viewers want to know what’s going on. They are concerned about the events that have occurred.”

The circumstances surrounding the suspect’s death were not disclosed. His identity and official cause of death will be determined by the coroner’s office.

The fatal incident is still under investigation.