Woodland Hills, CA — A high-stakes police pursuit turned a quiet Woodland Hills townhome complex into a tense battleground on March 21, 2022, as undercover Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) units chased two armed robbery suspects, culminating in a dramatic standoff, a tunneled escape attempt, and an arrest inside a trash can. The chaotic incident, unfolding in the early evening between Topanga Canyon Boulevard, Owensmouth Avenue, and Burbank Boulevard, gripped the community, with SWAT teams, K-9 units, and tear gas deployed to apprehend a fleeing suspect. Watch the video here
The drama began when LAPD undercover officers, tailing two suspects wanted for armed robbery, attempted to intercept their vehicle. The suspects, aware of the pursuit, sped off, initiating a high-speed chase through Woodland Hills. Near the 6100 block of Topanga Canyon Boulevard, the suspects abandoned their car and fled on foot into a densely packed townhome complex. The female driver was swiftly apprehended, but her male accomplice, described as a Hispanic male in his 40s with long hair, vanished into the residential maze, prompting officers to establish a perimeter.
As the search intensified, a chilling encounter unfolded: a resident returning to her townhome opened her garage and came face-to-face with the suspect. Startled, she fled and alerted authorities, who zeroed in on the unit. LAPD’s Metropolitan Division, including SWAT and K-9 units, descended on the scene, transforming the suburban enclave into a tactical operation zone. Believing the suspect was barricaded inside, officers deployed tear gas to flush him out, only to discover he had burrowed through an interior wall, attempting to evade capture by tunneling into an adjacent unit.
The suspect’s desperate bid for freedom ended in an unlikely hiding spot—a trash can within the complex. After an exhaustive search, K-9 units located him, and officers took him into custody. Paramedics from the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) transported him to a local hospital for evaluation, likely due to tear gas exposure or minor injuries sustained during his escape attempt. He faces charges of armed robbery, evading police, and additional counts pending further investigation, with his female accomplice also in custody.
The operation, which disrupted the area for hours, drew a crowd of anxious residents, some evacuated as a precaution. “It was like a movie—dogs barking, helicopters overhead, and police everywhere,” said Javier Torres, a neighbor. The LAPD assured the public the incident was isolated, with no ongoing threat, and the area was expected to reopen by 10:00 p.m. after clearing residual tear gas and securing the scene.
