'Kidnapper' surrenders after US freeway siege
An alleged kidnapper considered armed and dangerous peacefully surrendered to US police in armoured battle wagons yesterday after a four-and-a-half-hour chase and stand-off that shut down one of southern California’s busiest freeways.
Eduardo Medina, 32, of East Los Angeles, was a known gang member with a criminal history, said Los Angeles police Lieutenant Paul Vernon.
“He gave up peacefully…We waited him out long enough,” Vernon said, adding that police waited by the minivan Medina was in because they believed he was armed.
No weapons were found in the vehicle or on Medina, said police Officer Sandra Escalante.
The incident started about 10.30am local time in Long Beach when undercover Los Angeles officers tried to arrest Medina, who was wanted on a $2m (€1.7m) warrant for a December 10 kidnapping, Vernon said.
The plot, hatched by gang members, called for the kidnap for ransom of the daughter of a restaurant owner, Vernon said, but the wrong person was grabbed. The victim was rescued during the money drop, the lieutenant said.
“This guy has been in prison before,” Vernon said. “He’s a convicted felon. He has been deported once for Mexico and re-entered the country illegally after being deported. He has been arrested for concealed weapons charges. He’s been arrested for robbery.”
Jane Robison, a Los Angeles County district attorney spokeswoman, said Medina could be sentenced to life in prison under California’s “three strikes” law if he is convicted of another felony.
A few minutes after the chase started, the red minivan came to a stop on the freeway on Los Angeles’ east side and was immediately surrounded by armoured Swat battle wagons.
There was damage to the front end of the van, but Medina stayed inside, sometimes gesturing to police and deputies. Relatives were taken to the area and a robot was used to take a telephone to him.
Helmeted deputies trained their weapons on him and waited while the stand-off was recorded by several television helicopter crews.
The Long Beach Freeway, which is heavily used by trucks going to and from the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, was closed in both directions.
The closure backed up traffic for miles, clogging connecting freeways and jamming streets in the area.
