Fugitive Walks Into Restaurant Where Officers Were Eating, Ending Month-Long Manhunt

A month-long pursuit of a fugitive in the Los Angeles area concluded in an unexpected manner when the suspect walked directly into a Panda Express restaurant where the very officers pursuing him were taking a lunch break. Monrovia Police Department officers recognized the man immediately upon his entry and moved swiftly to apprehend him, detaining him on a no-bail felony probation warrant.

The man had successfully eluded law enforcement on two prior occasions when officers attempted to arrest him while he was out in public. In both instances, he fled onto nearby freeways and managed to escape. Body camera footage released Thursday captured the July 17 arrest, showing officers dining before rapidly responding to the suspect’s arrival and taking him into custody.

Video evidence shows the suspect questioning officers about the reason for his arrest, with one officer responding that he had been wanted and evading them for approximately one month. Police did not identify the suspect at the time of the arrest announcement.

The Monrovia Police Department noted the fortuitous nature of the arrest, suggesting it resulted from some combination of effective law enforcement and circumstance. The department humorously added that the officers did not abandon their meal, returning to finish eating after completing the arrest.