Police activity regarding a shirtless man perched on scaffolding 30 feet above the Dolby Theater in Hollywood ended Friday morning and Hollywood Boulevard reopened after being closed for more than 10 hours, but the man did not come down.
The Los Angeles Fire Department arrived at the scene in the 6800 block of Hollywood Boulevard, near Highland Avenue, at 4:30 p.m. Friday and deployed aerial ladders, ground ladders and a rescue air cushion to help the man return to the ground safely, according to Nicholas Prange of the LAFD.
A second air cushion was added around 8 p.m., the department said.
A news photographer on the scene said the man refused to come down and rescue operations ceased.
“He’s been not very communicative with our negotiators,” Los Angeles Police Department Capt. Scott Williams told reporters at the scene Friday night. “There’s some indication that he may be suffering from some mental illness, but, nonetheless, we’re going to continue to negotiate with him.
At 2:50 a.m., the LAPD’s Hollywood Division tweeted, “Police activity in the area of Hollywood & Highland has concluded and the area is now open. We want to again thank everyone for their patience as we worked to resolve this.”
Metro Red Line trains passed by the Hollywood/Highland Station in the 6800 block of Hollywood Boulevard throughout the operation.
The Dolby Theater hosts the Academy Awards on Feb. 9.
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Source: NBC Los Angeles