Streets were closed for hours and nearby residents evacuated Thursday morning, after three men refused to follow police commands to come out of a house where shots had reportedly fired.
The incident began at 6:48 a.m. when Burbank Police officers responded to the 1800 block of Keeler St. near Elliot Dr. The first officers to arrive in the area were directed by a witness to the residence where the shots came from. The officers could smell the odor of gunpowder in the area.
When the officers approached the home, a man came out of the residence. He was detained and questions. The man said there were three other men inside. For approximately the next two hours, police made repeated announcements in both English and Armenian, ordering the men to come outside. The standoff with police lasted several hours, tying up police resources and inconveniencing residents in the area. It also attracted television news crews.
The Burbank Police Department deployed their Special Response Team, or SWAT, to assist the patrol officers in evacuating nearby residents. The department’s armored vehicle, the “Bearcat,” was deployed. The men inside eventually came outside and surrendered to police. They were detained for questioning. The SRT officers cleared the residence to ensure that no victims were inside.
Officers sealed off the residence until detectives could obtain a search warrant. Once they were able to enter the residence and conduct a search, detectives recovered several weapons. So far no arrests have been made. The incident is currently under investigation for possible criminal charges.
Update: Burbank Police arrested four men later Thursday, May 3. Armen Galstyan, 52, of Burbank was arrested for identity theft, and possession of a assault weapon. His bail was set a $50,000. Three other men at the residence at 1811 Keeler St. were arrested for possession of an assault weapon. They are Artak Grigoryan, 37, and Vigen S. Manukyan, 27, both of Glendale; and Armen Zaven Mouradian, 23, of Los Angeles. Bail for each of them was set at $35,000.
