Investigators Saturday are still trying to determine why a man in his 60s drove his car onto the steps of City Hall in downtown Los Angeles and refused to get out for nearly two hours.
The car was driven onto the steps from Spring Street around 4 p.m. Friday. Aerial footage showed the man sitting in a black sedan with two signs in the windshield, which said “I NEED UR HELP D TRUMP U.S. VET.” and “Don’t Want To Hurt No Body,” according to multiple reports from the scene.
The man appeared to be in distress and was reportedly on the phone with police dispatch detailing certain concerns about his mental well-being.
Reports indicated that there might have been suspicious items inside the vehicle, and City Hall was evacuated as a precautionary measure, along with the area near Grand Park.
Mayor Karen Bass said she was briefed about the barricade situation.
“I’ve been briefed on the ongoing incident outside of City Hall, which is currently being evacuated out of an abundance of caution. I want to thank all first responders who are at the scene–my office will continue to monitor the situation,” she said.
After speaking with police on the phone for over an hour, the man was taken into custody before 6 p.m. after exiting his vehicle and walking in the direction of officers.
Traffic in the area was impacted during evening rush hour, with Spring Street and some freeway off-ramps were closed.
Bomb squad personnel responded to the scene following the arrest to ensure the area was safe.
At about 8 p.m., police said their investigation at the scene was complete and all streets were reopened.