Los Angeles City Hall evacuated as man barricades himself in car with signs after crashing into steps

A driver peacefully surrendered after a two-hour standoff with police that began when he crashed into the steps of Los Angeles City Hall and barricaded himself inside the vehicle. 

The crash was reported just after 4pm PST and resulted in evacuations of the area amid concerns of a security threat. 

The driver reportedly intentionally crashed the car, a black Ford Focus, which led to a massive police presence and shutdowns in the area. 

The driver reportedly spoke with police over the phone before he surrendered and was taken into custody after authorities de-escalated the situation. 

It’s unclear what led to the incident, and authorities haven’t released the driver’s identity or the charges against him.  

Mayor Karen Bass issued a statement while the scene was active that she was aware of the incident and was monitoring the situation. 

‘I’ve been briefed on the ongoing incident outside of City Hall, which is currently being evacuated out of an abundance of caution,’ she wrote on X. 

‘I want to thank all first responders who are at the scene — my office will continue to monitor the situation’.

Photos of the scene revealed a handwritten cardboard sign inside the car’s windshield that seemed to reference Donald Trump. 

The California Highway Patrol sent units to close exits leading to the downtown area as the LAPD secured the scene.