West Covina standoff ends; gunman found dead inside home

A nine-hour standoff in West Covina between police and a gunman ended Thursday when officers said they discovered the man’s dead body inside a home.

Cpl. Rudy Lopez said the man was found by SWAT team members with a gunshot wound. A weapon was also recovered.

The standoff started shortly before 3 a.m. in the 1900 block of East Cortez Street, where a resident reported that a bullet had struck his home, Lopez said.

Officers arriving at the location said they heard more gunshots coming from a home across the street.

The gunman then barricaded himself inside the home and refused to talk with police. Officers said the man didn’t respond when they attempted to reach him by phone and tried to communicate with him using bullhorns.

According to Lopez, a robot was sent in to inspect the home but detected no movement inside. The man was discovered alone shortly after SWAT team members entered the home.

The identity of the man was not immediately available.

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