April 17--A roughly six-hour standoff ended Friday when police SWAT officers searched a Long Beach home where they believed a man involved in a domestic violence call was holed up with his children, but found no one inside, officials said.
Police expected to find a man and three children in the home in the 900 block of Cerritos Avenue, said Nancy Pratt, Long Beach police spokeswoman. But a 15-minute search turned up no one.
Police now believe the man fled with his children before officers arrived at the home at 12:30 a.m. in response to a domestic violence call, she said. The children's mother left before police got to the home.
Officers were looking Friday for the man and his children. They don't believe the children are in danger, Pratt said.
The children's mother told police the man has never shown any violence toward their children and that she doesn't believe he would hurt them.
