Man Allegedly Shoots at LASD Helicopter in Bellflower

Reported by Patch Editor Mirna Alfonso:

A man was under arrest Wednesday night, taken into custody after allegedly firing several rounds at a circling helicopter as Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies investigated a 911 call involving a gun.

Sheriff's deputies from the Lakewood station were called about 1:15 p.m. to the area of Virginia Avenue and Cedar Street, according to officials.

A dispatcher had received a call from a woman and could hear screaming; a woman was yelling at a man, asking why he was pointing a gun at her, officials said.

Using cell tower triangulation, law enforcement authorities went to that area and tried to find the woman.

Meanwhile the dispatcher could hear struggling and the woman begging someone not to kill her, officials said.

It turned out the suspect -- identified as Javier Cardenas, 24 -- was with a woman in  a home in the 17600 block of  Virginia Avenue, officials said.

The suspect allegedly fired several shots at the helicopter but no deputies were injured nor the aircraft damaged; the woman ran out to waiting deputies, officials said.

She suffered minor injuries, authorities said.

Cardenas allegedly fired a second volley at the helicopter but was contacted by phone and finally agreed to surrender, tossing the pistol out the back window.

He was taken into custody without further incident and booked on suspicion of assault with a firearm on a peace officer and other felony charges.

His bail was set at $100,000.