Suspect allegedly fires shotgun through door at deputies

A suspect in a shooting in Compton was taken into custody Thursday after he allegedly opened fire at responding deputies and barricaded himself in his apartment, which caught fire while he was inside.

Deputies were sent to the 100 block of Acacia Avenue about 7:30 a.m. on a call of an assault with a deadly weapon, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department reported.

A person who had been wounded was taken to a hospital in unknown condition, the Sheriff's Department reported.

Meanwhile, deputies responding to the scene came under fire, but they were not wounded, the Sheriff's Department reported.

Deputy Miguel Meza told reporters at the scene the suspect was armed with a shotgun, which he fired when deputies knocked on the door. The shotgun blast did not pass through the door, and no deputies were injured, he said.

A containment of the area was established, residents in the apartment and nearby buildings were evacuated, and a SWAT team from the sheriff's Special Enforcement Bureau was sent to the scene.

About 8:15 a.m., a fire was reported in the building.

Meza told reporters the fire was in the suspect's apartment, and the suspect apparently was responsible for igniting the flames. A natural gas leak was reported in the building, Meza said.

The wounded person — either a friend or a roommate of the suspect — told deputies a firearm was accidentally discharged, Meza said.

“The victim said there was some sort of accidental discharge inside the location, which is when the deputies responded to the gunshot victim call,” Meza told Fox11.

The circumstances of the shooting remained under investigation.

The suspect surrendered about 8:45 a.m., the Sheriff's Department reported.

“After a couple hours and many verbal attempts by LASD deputies and SEB Tactical Team, the incident has concluded peacefully,” a Sheriff's Department statement said.

The suspect's name was not immediately available. It was unknown what he would be booked for.

About an hour after the man surrendered, the sheriff's Special Enforcement Bureau tweeted: “LASD SEB SWAT operation for an armed, barricaded assault with a deadly weapon suspect in Compton has concluded. Suspect in custody. Fire Department on scene after putting out a fire started by suspect. … Neighborhood safe.”