mark handler
SAWHORSE
Long Beach barricade suspect booked for attempted murder
Anthony Gorospe, 51, scheduled to be arraigned Monday.
By Tracy Manzer, Staff Writerpresstelegram.com
LONG BEACH — A 51-year-old Long Beach man who shot a city code enforcement inspector in the face before launching a seven-hour standoff with police was booked early this morning on a charge of attempted murder.
Anthony Gorospe was officially booked at 12:44 a.m. and is being held in lieu of $500,000 bail, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's Inmate Information Center.
It was shortly before 8 a.m. Thursday when the city inspector and a cleaning crew arrived at Gorospe's home, located in the 6100 block of North John Avenue, to clean out debris in and around the blighted property.
The home had been the subject of code violations going back several years, and the inspector asked a police officer to accompany the crew, said Police Chief Jim McDonnell.
The crew never made it into the home, however, as Gorospe allegedly opened fire from inside his front door, grazing the city inspector near the eyebrow.
He was taken to a local hospital where he was doing well Thursday night, police said.
The shooting, however, kicked off a tense standoff with Gorospe allegedly shooting at police while shouting at them to kill him. Around 2 p.m., SWAT officers pumped a mixture of tear gas and pepper spray into the home while a ballistic vehicle was used to rip down shrubbery covering the front of the small one-story home as well as a front window, bars and a security gate, police said.
Gorospe eventually came out of the house shortly before 3 p.m., though he still refused to get down or surrender and a K-9 dog was sent in and took him down, McDonnell said.
Neighbors said Gorospe always struggled with mental issues, but they worsened when his mother died a year ago, followed by two more relatives
Long Beach Calif. --07-05-12 - A suspect is in custody who was barricaded in his North Long Beach home most of the day after allegedly shooting a city code enforcement officer. Police said the code enforcement officer was shot about 8 a.m. while conducting an investigation at a home in the 1600 block of John Avenue. Stephen Carr/ Press-Telegram (Stephen Carr / Press-Telegram)
He told neighbors on Wednesday that he would not let "the police take him."
As he opened fire Thursday morning on the city inspector he shouted "kill me, kill me," one witness said.
And as he was led away from the scene in handcuffs Thursday he shouted, "tell me you love me," at a group of reporters and photographers.
A search of property records showed the last name of Gorospe's mother, the original owner of the home, was Gorosme. Two friends also told the Press-Telegram that was the suspect's name.
Police and Sheriff's officials, however, said the suspect's name is Gorospe.
He is expected to be arraigned at the Long Beach Superior Court Monday.
tracy.manzer@presstelegram.com,
Long Beach Calif. --07-05-12 - Front window breached by a tactical vehicle at the home where a suspect barricaded himself in his North Long Beach home most of the day after allegedly shooting a city code enforcement officer. Police said the code enforcement officer was shot about 8 a.m. while conducting an investigation at a home in the 1600 block of John Avenue. The man was later taken into custody. Stephen Carr/ Press-Telegram
Anthony Gorospe, 51, scheduled to be arraigned Monday.
By Tracy Manzer, Staff Writerpresstelegram.com
LONG BEACH — A 51-year-old Long Beach man who shot a city code enforcement inspector in the face before launching a seven-hour standoff with police was booked early this morning on a charge of attempted murder.
Anthony Gorospe was officially booked at 12:44 a.m. and is being held in lieu of $500,000 bail, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's Inmate Information Center.
It was shortly before 8 a.m. Thursday when the city inspector and a cleaning crew arrived at Gorospe's home, located in the 6100 block of North John Avenue, to clean out debris in and around the blighted property.
The home had been the subject of code violations going back several years, and the inspector asked a police officer to accompany the crew, said Police Chief Jim McDonnell.
The crew never made it into the home, however, as Gorospe allegedly opened fire from inside his front door, grazing the city inspector near the eyebrow.
He was taken to a local hospital where he was doing well Thursday night, police said.
The shooting, however, kicked off a tense standoff with Gorospe allegedly shooting at police while shouting at them to kill him. Around 2 p.m., SWAT officers pumped a mixture of tear gas and pepper spray into the home while a ballistic vehicle was used to rip down shrubbery covering the front of the small one-story home as well as a front window, bars and a security gate, police said.
Gorospe eventually came out of the house shortly before 3 p.m., though he still refused to get down or surrender and a K-9 dog was sent in and took him down, McDonnell said.
Neighbors said Gorospe always struggled with mental issues, but they worsened when his mother died a year ago, followed by two more relatives
Long Beach Calif. --07-05-12 - A suspect is in custody who was barricaded in his North Long Beach home most of the day after allegedly shooting a city code enforcement officer. Police said the code enforcement officer was shot about 8 a.m. while conducting an investigation at a home in the 1600 block of John Avenue. Stephen Carr/ Press-Telegram (Stephen Carr / Press-Telegram)
He told neighbors on Wednesday that he would not let "the police take him."
As he opened fire Thursday morning on the city inspector he shouted "kill me, kill me," one witness said.
And as he was led away from the scene in handcuffs Thursday he shouted, "tell me you love me," at a group of reporters and photographers.
A search of property records showed the last name of Gorospe's mother, the original owner of the home, was Gorosme. Two friends also told the Press-Telegram that was the suspect's name.
Police and Sheriff's officials, however, said the suspect's name is Gorospe.
He is expected to be arraigned at the Long Beach Superior Court Monday.
tracy.manzer@presstelegram.com,
Long Beach Calif. --07-05-12 - Front window breached by a tactical vehicle at the home where a suspect barricaded himself in his North Long Beach home most of the day after allegedly shooting a city code enforcement officer. Police said the code enforcement officer was shot about 8 a.m. while conducting an investigation at a home in the 1600 block of John Avenue. The man was later taken into custody. Stephen Carr/ Press-Telegram
Last edited by a moderator:
