Burglary suspect refuses to come down from roof in East L.A. standoff

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A man in East Los Angeles has been standing on the the roof of a home in a standoff with authorities since about 7 a.m. Friday after a bondsman attempted to take him into custody, authorities said.

The shirtless man, wearing shorts and white socks, was standing on top of a chimney in the 5300 block of Grace Place as Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies tried to talk him down, said Capt. Mike Parker.

Several media news helicopters hovered overhead.

“The bail bondsman went to the house to take him back into custody, which they have a right to do, and he evaded them and climbed on the roof,” Parker said. “He failed to meet the condition of his burglary bond.”

Parker described the man as agitated and doesn’t know his identity or what conditions he failed to meet. Deputies on the ground placed a ladder near the man for him to climb down and one sheriff’s helicopter is flying overhead. The house appears to be two stories.

“If you jump, depending on how you fall, you might die, but you would certainly suffer serious injuries that could be crippling,” Parker said. “It’s cold, it’s raining and the roof is wet so this is the worst condition for him to be doing something as illogical as this.”

The man is not believed to be armed, Parker said.

“He’s a danger to the community in the sense that he was apparently facing a burglary charge, was bonded out and failed to meet the conditions of his bail,” Parker said. “He should not be out in the community and eventually he’s going to come down from the roof one way or another.”

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-- Adolfo Flores