Whittier: Suspect Barricades Himself After Nearly Striking Officer During Pursuit

02.23.2020 | 10:15 PM | WHITTIER – A suspect who nearly struck an officer during a pursuit and then barricaded himself inside an occupied apartment, late Sunday night.

A Burbank police officer attempted to contact a man later identified as 35-year-old Michael Shawn Wedge, of Santa Fe Springs, inside a Nissan Frontier pickup truck parked in front of the Ramada by Wyndham hotel located in the 2900 block of North San Fernando Boulevard around 10:15 PM.

As the officer approached the vehicle Wedge fled, nearly striking the officer in the process.

The incident spurred a high-speed pursuit that traversed the I-5 and SR-60 freeways before stopping outside an apartment building in the 8300 block of Sargent Avenue in Whittier around 10:50 PM.

Wedge fled from his vehicle on foot into an occupied apartment where he barricaded himself inside using furniture.

A female adult who was carrying a small child was seen on video escaping the apartment but an hours-long standoff ensued as officers attempted to coax Wedge out.

A SWAT team moved in at about 1:00 AM and took Wedge into custody without further incident.

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