A man carrying a backpack and apparently claiming to have a bomb climbed to the center of the Santa Monica Pier Ferris wheel Monday, prompting the closure and evacuation of the entire pier.
Officers were dispatched about 2:40 p.m. to the pier, according to a watch commander at the Santa Monica Police Department.
“Somebody climbed the Ferris wheel, with a backpack, and began yelling at officers,” the watch commander told City News Service. “We're working, trying to figure this thing out.”
The department reported on X, formerly Twitter, that the suspect was heard by witnesses saying he has a bomb. Fire crews worked to evacuate people who were on the Ferris wheel baskets at the same time.
Get Southern California news, weather forecasts and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC LA newsletters.
Officers evacuated Pacific Park and the pier, and a crisis negotiation team was at the scene attempting to talk to the suspect.
The suspect was perched near the center of the 130-foot-tall Ferris wheel before finally coming down shortly before 4:30 p.m. Several officers were seen tackling him.
