Fire Erupts in 7-Eleven as Barricaded Female Armed with Knife is Taken into Custody

Mid-Wilshire, Los Angeles, CA: A female armed with a knife barricaded inside a 7-Eleven and is allegedly the one responsible for setting fire to the convenience store on Monday night, Aug. 15, in the Mid-Wilshire neighborhood of Los Angeles.

The incident began when the Los Angeles Police Department Wilshire Division received a call around 9:30 p.m. of a female, possibly mentally ill, armed with a knife and causing problems inside a 7-Eleven at Olympic Boulevard and La Brea Avenue, according to LAPD Lt. Ro at the scene interviewed by Key News Network.

When officers arrived at the 5200 block of West Olympic Boulevard, the female barricaded herself inside the store. Ro said she damaged a lot of property, including merchandise.

According to Ro, officers ordered her to exit the store on her own. She refused to comply, so one of the sergeants made entry with a contact team and took her into custody after she slipped on the wet floor trying to run from them. Officers picked her up and carried her out without incident.

Ro said as the officers were entering the store, they noticed a fire had erupted inside. The female was not observed starting the fire, however, she was standing in the area where the fire had started.

The lone 7-Eleven employee exited the store when the officers entered. He was not injured during the incident, according to Ro.

The Los Angeles Fire Department responded to the scene at approximately 10:05 p.m., and extinguished the fire in under 10 minutes. Arson investigators were on the scene.

Video: Zak Holman, Photojournalist / KNN