SANTA MONICA, Calif. — California’s Santa Monica Pier was closed down Monday after a man climbed onto a Ferris wheel and claimed to be carrying a bomb, authorities said.
In a tweet, the Santa Monica Police Department announced on X, formerly known as Twitter, that officers were “dealing with a person in crisis.”
The pier was evacuated, along with Pacific Park, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Suspect apprehended
Update 8:17 p.m. EDT Oct. 9: After about an hour of negotiations, police apprehended the man as he worked his way down the structure at about 4:30 p.m. PDT, KTLA-TV reported.
Original report: Witnesses allegedly heard the man make comments about possessing the explosive device, KTLA-TV reported. No injuries have been reported, according to KABC-TV.
Lt. Erika Aklufi of the Santa Monica Police Department told the Times that officers were attempting to extract riders from the Ferris wheel while they communicated with the man to “try to get him to come down.”
Aklufi said officials had not confirmed whether the man was carrying a bomb.
“Out of an abundance of caution, we’re going to act as if he does until we can prove that he doesn’t,” Akufi told the newspaper.
Just before 4:30 p.m. PDT, the man could be seen climbing closer to the pier as he appeared to be speaking with law enforcement officials, KCBS-TV reported.