A man wanted on a felony warrant attempted to escape Los Angeles police by swimming into the Pacific Ocean on Thursday, sparking a nearly 90-minute standoff that ended with lifeguards and law enforcement officers surrounding and arresting the suspect off Will Rogers State Beach.
The unusual incident began around 7:21 a.m. when officers from the Los Angeles Police Department's West LA Division tried to contact the suspect near Pacific Coast Highway and Sunset Boulevard, according to KTLA. The man fled on foot, running past a lifeguard tower and plunging into the water at the popular beach in the Pacific Palisades area.
Video captured by SkyFOX showed the suspect, who appeared to be nude from the waist down, struggling against three Los Angeles County lifeguards as they worked to restrain him in the water. The lifeguards eventually guided him toward a waiting Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department boat, where officers and lifeguards pulled him aboard and took him into custody. The man continued to resist even as he was brought alongside the vessel.
According to FOX 11, the suspect swam about a mile during the nearly 90-minute ordeal. At one point, he swam toward shore near Temescal Canyon before abruptly turning back into deeper water, prompting lifeguards to move in and end the standoff. The suspect remained hundreds of yards offshore as lifeguards on rescue boards stayed nearby, monitoring his condition and attempting to talk with him while a sheriff's department boat and a county lifeguard rescue boat positioned themselves offshore.
The Los Angeles Police Department had initially attempted to contact the suspect for reasons that were not immediately clear. Authorities did not release details about the felony warrant that prompted the pursuit, nor did they disclose the suspect's identity, condition, or any additional charges he may face. Fox News Digital has reached out to the LAPD for further information.
The incident highlights the challenges law enforcement faces when suspects attempt unconventional escape methods. The Los Angeles Police Department, which regularly patrols the coastal areas of the city, coordinated with county lifeguards and sheriff's deputies to safely resolve the situation without injury to the public or the suspect.
Will Rogers State Beach, located along the Pacific Coast Highway, is a popular spot for swimming, surfing, and sunbathing. The beach is patrolled by Los Angeles County lifeguards, who are trained in water rescues and often assist law enforcement in incidents involving the ocean. Thursday's standoff was not the first time a suspect has tried to use the Pacific Ocean as an escape route, but the duration and distance covered made this case particularly notable.
The Los Angeles Police Department has not yet provided an update on the suspect's status or the specific charges he faces. The investigation into the incident is ongoing, and authorities are expected to release more details as they become available.
