Long Beach Police Rescue Hostage After Suspected Shooter Surrenders

Long Beach police rescued a hostage who had been held inside a home for several hours by a man suspected of firing shots earlier in the evening near Ocean Blvd in downtown Long Beach, authorities reported.

The suspect surrendering to officers with his arms raised, exiting an apartment between 4 a.m. and 5 a.m. on Thursday, over six hours after police initially responded to a report of shots fired.

The suspect’s identity has not been released by the police.

Officers responded to a call about shots being fired in the 2000 block of East Ocean Blvd, near the beach, just before 10 p.m., according to the Long Beach Police Department. Upon arrival, the suspect allegedly fled to a nearby neighborhood and entered a home near Gaviota Avenue and 1st Street, about two blocks away.

Police stated that the suspect held a hostage inside the home and was believed to be armed. Long Beach Police SWAT and hostage negotiators were called to the scene, and they successfully rescued the hostage and apprehended the suspect hours later, police said.