A teenager sought for questioning by police opened fire at approaching officers in Bell Gardens Thursday, then ran off and holed up inside an apartment for 12 hours before being found dead inside the residence.
Officers spotted two teens they wanted to speak with around 9 a.m., but the pair fled as the officers approached, and one of them turned and fired at least one shot toward police, Bell Gardens police said. No officers were hit.
It was not immediately clear whey police wanted to question the two boys.
The shooting prompted a lockdown as police established a perimeter in the area of Eastern Avenue and Quinn Street.
Police said one teen was eventually detained, but the other -- the alleged shooter -- holed up inside an apartment building.
About 7:15 p.m., a SWAT team fired tear gas into the apartment and used other tactics to try to get the suspect to surrender, but were unsuccessful, according to a statement from the department.
SWAT officers entered the building about 8:45 p.m. and found the teenager "unresponsive" in a back room of the house, Bell Gardens police Chief Scott Fairfield told reporters.
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The 17-year-old boy was found in a bathtub with a self- inflicted gunshot wound, police said.
"During the investigation, officers learned that the suspect was inside a house with a female," according to a statement from the department issued about 11 p.m. "Officers were advised that the suspect stated that he had a weapon and was going to kill himself. After hours of requests for the suspect to surrender both via the phone and loud speakers, there was no response."
Residents who were evacuated were told to contact officers on scene to determine when they could return to their homes.
