Twitter executive live-tweets and live-streams SWAT standoff outside his L.A. home
People who live in Los Angeles are used to watching police pursuits live on television — they just usually aren’t able to watch them from their bedroom window.
But that was precisely the case for Nathan Hubbard early Monday, when a SWAT team rolled into his Pacific Palisades neighborhood in pursuit of a male suspect who crashed a stolen car, fired on police and then holed up in his neighbor’s garage.
Hubbard, a Twitter executive, and his family had just returned home from a family trip from Africa when he heard gunshots outside his daughter’s window around 2:00 a.m. local time.
And Hubbard promptly began live-tweeting and streaming the standoff on Twitter and Periscope.
Full on police helicopter chase and multiple gunshots in the alley behind my house in Pacific Palisades. Police all over the scene. @LAPDHQ
— Nathan Hubbard (@NathanCHubbard) April 11, 2016
GUYS I PICKED A REALLY BAD NIGHT TO FLY BACK FROM AFRICA AND TAKE AN AMBIEN BEFORE BED
— Nathan Hubbard (@NathanCHubbard) April 11, 2016
According to Hubbard, he heard a car crash with police helicopters overhead, then two sets of gunshots.
@holyoakmusic car crash sounds w/chopper overhead, then two sets of gun shots, 7-8 in total. Now police have locked down the area searching
— Nathan Hubbard (@NathanCHubbard) April 11, 2016
Hubbard also posted footage from an outdoor security camera attached to his home of a man believed to be the suspect running up the street.
Here's the video of man running up the street before the police barricade. Camera time is 29 mins slow. @LAPDHQ pic.twitter.com/VseRYnthKY
— Nathan Hubbard (@NathanCHubbard) April 11, 2016
Tactical police dogs coming up Lombard now. Seems like they've got him pinned down and are trying to sniff him out.
— Nathan Hubbard (@NathanCHubbard) April 11, 2016
Another angle of the presumed suspect, now being hunted by police pic.twitter.com/9lXNi6e5Wu
— Nathan Hubbard (@NathanCHubbard) April 11, 2016
SWAT teams approaching the garage
— Nathan Hubbard (@NathanCHubbard) April 11, 2016
LIVE on #Periscope: Police hunting fugitive in palisades. Ere comes the swat team https://t.co/eNNHjWwkb2
— Nathan Hubbard (@NathanCHubbard) April 11, 2016
According to Hubbard, his neighbors sent him a direct message saying they were not home and were following his Twitter feed for updates.
Per police scanner, the suspect is still in the garage and cannot get into the house. They've evacuated the house.
— Nathan Hubbard (@NathanCHubbard) April 11, 2016
It appears they are swapping out SWAT teams, probably bringing in gas. All signs indicating he's still holed up about 30 yards from us.
— Nathan Hubbard (@NathanCHubbard) April 11, 2016
Tactical units repositioning and appear to be about to launch an offensive using gas from alley below. I hope this clown isn't on Twitter.
— Nathan Hubbard (@NathanCHubbard) April 11, 2016
Hubbard even tweeted part of the SWAT team’s attempted negotiation with the suspect, whom he said police identified as “Carl.”
Police now talking to Carl in the garage. Telling him to think about his family and come out with hands up.
— Nathan Hubbard (@NathanCHubbard) April 11, 2016
We want to hear your side of the story. It's all a big mistake. Come outside and talk it out. We'll get you some help. Don't make it worse.
— Nathan Hubbard (@NathanCHubbard) April 11, 2016
Carl don't make this worse than it already is. We know you're in there. Come outside with your hands up. Do it now. We can get you some help
— Nathan Hubbard (@NathanCHubbard) April 11, 2016
Telling him they will discuss it face to face, they don't want to hurt him. Repeatedly using his name Carl.
— Nathan Hubbard (@NathanCHubbard) April 11, 2016
Car alarms keep going off all over the scene. Can't tell if it is strategic or just dudes in tactical gear bumping into them.
— Nathan Hubbard (@NathanCHubbard) April 11, 2016
Shots fired - sounds like gas
— Nathan Hubbard (@NathanCHubbard) April 11, 2016
That was a loud rapping, possibly battering ram. Followed by telling Carl to come out with hands up. Nobody wants to hurt him.
— Nathan Hubbard (@NathanCHubbard) April 11, 2016
LOUD banging on the door of the garage followed by pleas for him to communicate with them and statement that no one wants to hurt him
— Nathan Hubbard (@NathanCHubbard) April 11, 2016
No response from Carl. So you can guess what's coming next.
— Nathan Hubbard (@NathanCHubbard) April 11, 2016
Okay new team. Loud voice over the microphone threatening gas if he doesn't come out now.
— Nathan Hubbard (@NathanCHubbard) April 11, 2016
Say they have a warrant and they're coming in if he doesn't come out now.
— Nathan Hubbard (@NathanCHubbard) April 11, 2016
LIVE on #Periscope: It's getting tense, let's see what happens in this police chase of the fugitive in Pacific Pali… https://t.co/wTRn7AmRio
— Nathan Hubbard (@NathanCHubbard) April 11, 2016
Hubbard paused to give his neighbors some advice.
@Carlotaatlee @patrickarmijo don't walk the dogs right now. Still very much a live situation.
— Nathan Hubbard (@NathanCHubbard) April 11, 2016
SWAT vehicle at the base of the alley teeming with officers. Carl is about to be forcibly removed.
— Nathan Hubbard (@NathanCHubbard) April 11, 2016
LIVE on #Periscope: Just fired gas https://t.co/EdDz5HZu5W
— Nathan Hubbard (@NathanCHubbard) April 11, 2016
At one point, members of the tactical unit outside his window motioned to him to stop filming.
“SWAT team is less than happy with the film job,” Hubbard told his Periscope audience. “They’re pissed at me for filming this.”
But according to Hubbard, his block was “mostly locked down.”
“My kids are loving this as an excuse to potentially not get to school on time,” he said.
Hubbard, Twitter’s head of global media and commerce, even got in a plug for his company’s live-streaming app.
“I got a feeling Carl is not on Periscope right now,” Hubbard said. “He should be — everybody should be.”
@Jack @adambain I'm gonna be a little late to work this morning, doing a product demo thing right now
— Nathan Hubbard (@NathanCHubbard) April 11, 2016
Quick update: tear gas attack launched. Lots of smoke. Swat team still waiting outside. No sign of any movement.
— Nathan Hubbard (@NathanCHubbard) April 11, 2016
So apparently the guy is holed up in a car in the garage and so the gas isn't affecting him. Gonna be a while.
— Nathan Hubbard (@NathanCHubbard) April 11, 2016
LIVE on #Periscope: About to take the door down. https://t.co/2rwDXJ3958
— Nathan Hubbard (@NathanCHubbard) April 11, 2016
LIVE on #Periscope: Operation underway https://t.co/cKKnnJt2nY
— Nathan Hubbard (@NathanCHubbard) April 11, 2016
An LAPD spokesman confirmed to Yahoo News that police were in pursuit of a stolen car when the suspect opened fire and fled on foot.
The tactical team used a battering ram to open the garage door and arrested the man shortly before 8 a.m. And Hubbard caught it all live on Periscope.
LIVE on #Periscope: Operation underway https://t.co/cKKnnJt2nY
— Nathan Hubbard (@NathanCHubbard) April 11, 2016
Kahrl has been taken into custody thanks to the great work of the @LAPDHQ w/out much of an incident. Watch the Persicope to see it end.
— Nathan Hubbard (@NathanCHubbard) April 11, 2016
Hubbard told Yahoo News that his kids did eventually make it to school.
"Just a couple minutes late," he wrote in a Twitter message.
There was, however, one lingering mystery for Hubbard.
But now the real question: WHO WAS THE GUY IN THE WHITE SHIRT RUNNING IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE IN THAT VIDEO???!!? Kahrl was wearing black 🤔
— Nathan Hubbard (@NathanCHubbard) April 11, 2016