Crime & Safety

UPDATE: Lockdown of Carpenter School Ends as Homicide Suspect Is Captured

LAPD manhunt causes lockdown at Carpenter Community Charter School in Studio City; suspect Luis Solano, 20, is in custody.

UPDATE: 2:53 p.m. TV crews and fire trucks were outside Carpenter Community Charter School in Studio City, where students were all released at their usual dismissal time, despite Friday's police activity in the area. The students are now on a weeklong spring break.  

(See the photo gallery and videos coming up.)

UPDATE: 2:16 p.m. Los Angeles police Officer Christopher No said that Luis Solano, 20, who was captured by police earlier Friday, was wanted in the shotgun homicide of Pedro Mendoza in a North Hollywood alley on Nov. 18.

Find out what's happening in Sherman Oakswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

UPDATE: 1:54 p.m. The lockdown is over at Carpenter, and some parents have arrived early to pick up their children. There are currently about 20 parents waiting in the lobby; the school has asked parents that they only arrive early if they have an emergency. Otherwise they should wait until the regular  school dismissal time at 2:20 p.m.

Two nearby private schools, l and across Laurel Canyon Boulevard, were also in lockdown mode. The disruption has no effect on Bridges' big fundraiser on Saturday night.

Find out what's happening in Sherman Oakswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

UPDATE: 1:27 p.m. Homicide suspect Luis Solano, 20, has been captured by police in Studio City, and authorities have confirmed that he is now in police custody. Solano reportedly was found hiding in bushes in front of an apartment building on Laurelwood Drive, just up the hill from Carpenter Elementary.

UPDATE: 1:17 p.m. Carpenter Principal Joseph Martinez sent out a robo-call to parents from the school 10 minutes ago. He let them know that three school buses of children that were on a field trip have been rerouted to Dixie Canyon School at 4220 Dixie Canyon Dr., and can be picked up from there by parents. These students are currently the only students that can be collected.

"Everybody is fine on campus, but at this time we can't have buses or cars at the school," Martinez said.

Local parent Maureen Herman, who lives diagonally across from Carpenter, sends her second-grade daughter Anna to the school.

“I was glad to hear that they are not telling the kids what’s going on," Herman told Patch, "but my gosh, the helicopter will certainly scare them. I know that Anna knows that when helicopters are around like this they’re looking for a bad guy. She knows what it means to have this many helicopters."

Herman, who works at Tujunga and Ventura boulevards, received a text from the school that read: “Stay inside. Your daughter's school is on lock down. Murder suspect out there." Herman said she ran to her house and sneaked  through the police line to get in.

The streets within half a mile of the school are deserted; police have not told anyone to stay inside, but people are staying away voluntarily.

***

Carpenter Community Charter School was locked down Friday as a precaution as Los Angeles police searched for a slaying suspect in Studio City.

The search began at about 11 a.m. and was being conducted near the school at 3909 Carpenter Ave., according to Los Angeles Unified School District officials.

"A murder suspect was identified by an undercover cop. He fled on foot. He is being sought in the area," said Mike Lewis, LAPD senior lead officer for Studio City.

"He ran through an apartment complex in the vicinity of the school [Carpenter Community Charter]," Lewis said. "Police helicopters are on the scene along with K-9 dog units. We think he's hiding in the bushes somewhere."

Lewis said that parents who are trying to come to the school and pick up their children were being told to stay at home until further notice.

The undercover police officer was looking for graffiti taggers when he spotted a person he believed to be one of two suspects wanted in connection with a killing in North Hollywood. The suspect's photograph was recently passed out among all LAPD officers. 

At no time was the suspect on the premises of the school campuses in any of the three local schools, authorities said. Carpenter is the largest campus, holding 850 students.

Traffic around Ventura and Laurel Canyon boulevards was at a standstill for nearly an hour around lunch time, but by 3 p.m. it was the usual Friday afternoon traffic situation.

Anna King and Craig Clough contributed to this report.


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