LOS ANGELES, CA – Authorities took a man into custody early Thursday morning after he allegedly attempted to commandeer a self-driving taxi in downtown Los Angeles, prompting a police response involving riot shields and tactical maneuvers.
The incident occurred shortly before 1 a.m. near the intersection of South Hill Street and 5th Street, where police were called to the scene after receiving reports of an individual inside a Waymo autonomous vehicle who refused to exit.
According to witnesses, the man was seen sitting in the driver’s seat of the self-driving taxi, although the vehicle is designed to operate without a human driver. It was unclear how the suspect entered the vehicle or why he refused to leave.
Video footage captured at the scene showed police officers approaching the Waymo taxi cautiously while carrying a riot shield. Officers surrounded the car and issued verbal commands to the man inside.
After a brief exchange, an officer opened the vehicle’s door and forcibly removed the man. He was then placed in handcuffs and escorted away by officers without further incident.
Authorities have not released the identity of the suspect, and no injuries were reported. Officials also did not disclose whether the man was armed or made threats during the incident.
The Waymo taxi, part of an autonomous vehicle fleet operating in Los Angeles, was later inspected at the scene before being cleared by officials. Waymo, which operates the self-driving service, has not released a statement regarding the incident.
Investigators are working to determine the suspect’s motives and whether mental health issues or substance abuse may have played a role.
Authorities have urged witnesses or anyone with additional information to contact the Los Angeles Police Department’s Central Division at 213-486-6606. Anonymous tips can also be submitted to Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477 or through the lacrimestoppers.org website.
