The 101 Freeway through downtown Los Angeles reopened late Tuesday night after an hours-long standoff with a man on an overpass ended with him being safely taken into custody, authorities said.
Units from the Los Angeles Police Department, including its SWAT Team, and the California Highway Patrol assisted the Los Angeles Fire Department during the prolonged response. The person was detained at about 10:00 p.m., officials said.
Firefighters said the person’s medical condition is still being evaluated, but authorities have cleared the scene and reopened the freeway.
Authorities had earlier told The California Post the man remained on the pedestrian structure hours after first threatening to jump, with no clear timeline for reopening.
Fire crews deployed large inflatable rescue cushions beneath an overpass to protect the man threatening to jump. Citizen AppThe closure affected both northbound and southbound lanes near Temple Street, where the incident began just before 5:10 p.m. at 333 N. Los Angeles Street, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.
By 6 p.m., aerial footage showed miles of completely stalled traffic, with congestion stretching across downtown as commuters remained trapped on the roadway.
Fire crews deployed large inflatable rescue cushions beneath an overpass to protect the man threatening to jump.
Footage showed miles of completely stalled traffic, with congestion stretching across downtown as commuters remained trapped on the roadway. Citizen AppTraffic backed up for miles while responders worked the scene, with graffiti-covered retaining walls visible along the freeway corridor.
Meanwhile, LAPD officers worked to access the structure, using pry bars to break through fencing in an effort to limit his movement.
The California Highway Patrol issued a Sig-Alert as the crisis dragged on.
At its peak, the closure remained in effect for hours, with southbound drivers diverted at Los Angeles Street and northbound traffic rerouted at Alameda Street.
The heavily traveled corridor saw significant backups, compounded by traffic from the nearby Dodgers game, as officials urged the public to avoid the area and seek alternate routes.
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