All,

Last night, shortly after 10pm, two armed suspects fled Sheriff's Deputies onto Biola's campus. The suspects, two Hispanic male's in their early 20's, had committed a car-jacking at gunpoint in the City of La Mirada. The suspects ditched the car on Whiterock (across the creek from Hart) and fled on foot into campus adjacent to Hart Hall. Residents from the community reported this to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's, who were looking for the suspects. Shortly thereafter, the suspects entered Stewart Hall lobby and walked to the second floor and along the exterior balcony. Several students called Campus Safety and reported the suspects as "suspicious persons."

Moments later, Deputy Sheriff Mark Claahsen arrived on campus. Claahsen observed the suspects walking through the patio area immediately adjacent to Postal Services and Common Grounds. The suspects saw Deputy Claahsen and began to flee. Four students observed the suspects "ditch" some items into a trash can. Deputies later recovered a loaded chrome plated .38 revolver and a loaded 9mm Glock handgun. The foot chase continued toward the Cafe, where one suspect fled to the east toward City Hall and the second suspect fled into the Cafe where he subsequently became barricaded. The first suspect got off campus and is not in custody at this writing.

Suspect number two hid himself in the Cafe and refused to obey commands to come out and surrender. The Los Angeles County Sheriff then activated its SWAT team. At this time Campus Safety Officers evacuated Horton, Emerson, the Gym, the SUB, Bardwell, Sutherland, Crowell and closed the Library to further entry. Campus Safety Officers also established a perimeter around the scene to prevent further access. At approximately 0300 the SWAT team entered the Cafe. At approximately 0335 one male suspect, unarmed, Hispanic, 20 years of age, was taken into custody. The building was declared cleared at 0400. At this writing, Sheriff's Deputies are conducting a search of the building to see if the suspect left any weapons or other items behind. The all clear was then given for students to return to their dorms.

Campus Safety wishes to express its thanks to the students, staff, Facilities Services, RD's and the entire campus community for their cooperation during this trying episode. We also wish to acknowledge the prompt and thorough response of the Los Angeles County Sheriff. We are grateful to have such an excellent force serving our community. Finally, I wish to thank and recognize the excellent response of our Campus Safety Officers, who conducted themselves with the utmost professionalism and dedication to the safety of our students. The Biola community is privileged to have these men and women of God serving in their midst.

Christopher N. Albers
Deputy Chief
Biola Campus Safety

Edward Hixon, 20, of La Habra was found hiding in the attic above the cafeteria on the La Mirada campus of the Christian university. Two handguns were found at the scene, said Deputy Ramiro Juarez.

The incident began at about 10:15 p.m. with a two men carjacking a vehicle at gunpoint near the school. The 19-year old victim was not injured. Deputies chased the car until the two men fled on foot into the campus. Hixon ran into the cafeteria and the other man is still at large.

Juarez said that the standoff required several hundred students to be evacuated from nearby dormitories until it ended at about 3:20 a.m.