Suspect Holds Man Hostage For Hours In Alamitos Beach

LONG BEACH, CA — An armed suspect held a man hostage during an hours-long standoff with Long Beach police in Alamitos Beach early Thursday morning.

Just before 10 p.m., Long Beach police responded to the 2000 block of East Ocean Boulevard after receiving reports of a man firing a gun into the air. When officers arrived they saw the suspect flee and run into a residence near Gaviota Avenue and First Street.

Inside the apartment, the suspect held the resident hostage for hours, police said. SWAT officers responded to the scene and negotiated with the suspect, who came to the door to show the resident was unharmed before retreating back inside.

At around 4 a.m. officers deployed gas and took the suspect into custody. The man was identified as 31-year-old Erick Smith from Los Angeles and he was arrested on suspicion of kidnapping, burglary, obstructing a peace officer, felon in possession of a firearm, assault with a firearm and false imprisonment.

Smith's bail was set at $1.2 million and the investigation is ongoing, according to police.