A dramatic scene unfolded Friday afternoon in downtown Los Angeles when a man in his 60s drove a black sedan onto the steps of Los Angeles City Hall, refusing to leave the vehicle for nearly two hours. The incident sparked a major police response, citywide attention, and traffic disruptions during the evening rush hour.
Story Highlights
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Man in his 60s drives car onto Los Angeles City Hall steps Friday afternoon.
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Displays signs stating: “I NEED UR HELP D TRUMP U.S. VET” and “Don’t Want To Hurt No Body.”
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Appeared distressed and spoke with police dispatch about mental health concerns for over an hour.
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City Hall and surrounding areas, including Grand Park, evacuated due to possible suspicious items.
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Mayor Karen Bass thanks first responders and monitors situation.
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Man exits vehicle safely, taken into custody before 6 p.m.; bomb squad secures the scene.
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Traffic disruptions during evening rush; streets reopened by 8 p.m.
According to officials, the vehicle was driven onto the City Hall steps from Spring Street around 4 p.m. Aerial footage captured the man sitting inside the car with two handwritten signs displayed in the windshield. One of the signs reportedly read, “I NEED UR HELP D TRUMP U.S. VET”, while the other stated, “Don’t Want To Hurt No Body.”
Authorities described the man as appearing distressed. He reportedly maintained phone contact with police dispatch, sharing details about his mental health concerns. The communication between the man and police lasted more than an hour, during which officers tried to ensure his safety and that of the surrounding public.
Due to potential safety risks, City Hall and nearby areas, including Grand Park, were evacuated. Police noted there were reports of possible suspicious items inside the vehicle. The evacuation was carried out “out of an abundance of caution,” officials said, while cordoning off the area to prevent public access.
Mayor Karen Bass confirmed she was briefed about the incident. She issued a statement saying, “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.”
The tense standoff came to an end before 6 p.m. when the man finally exited his vehicle and walked toward officers. He was taken into custody without further incident. Following the arrest, bomb squad personnel were called to the scene to ensure there were no dangerous items left in the car.
Traffic around the area, including Spring Street and several nearby freeway off-ramps, experienced significant disruptions during evening rush hour. By approximately 8 p.m., police announced the investigation at the scene was complete, and all streets were reopened.
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