Kidnap victim found in Ontario residence
By Jason Pesick
The Inland Valley Daily Bulletin
ONTARIO, Calif. — The Los Angeles Police Department’s SWAT team rescued a man from his alleged kidnapper at an Ontario residence Monday afternoon.
Officers took one person into custody and rescued a victim, a man in his 20s, said Los Angeles police Officer Julianne Sohn.
Teams went to two locations, one of which was an apartment complex in the 1400 block of Elma Court and the other was at 714 Belmont St., because of tips indicating the victim and suspect could have been at either location.
Richard Baladez, 32, has lived in the apartment complex at Elma Court for two years with his wife and child.
He was outside when the SWAT team entered the home.
“I was right there. I could hear the boom,” he said.
A woman, a man who’s not there often and children live in the apartment the SWAT team entered, Baladez said.
The woman had shopped at a yard sale earlier in the day, he said.
Police questioned her and towed a car, Baladez said, though he said he didn’t know whose car it was.
He also said Imperial Avenue had been blocked between Elma Court and Nocta Street.
It was not clear which location was the site of the rescue and arrest.
The teams arrived at about 12:40 p.m. and entered and cleared both locations by 4:30, Sohn said.
“They were taken into custody without incident,” she said.
Officers only arrested one person, Sohn said, but detained a number of people.
Copyright 2008 The Inland Valley Daily Bulletin