Articles
December 05, 2013
City News Service
A man, who allegedly opened fire on Inglewood police and then barricaded himself inside a home while holding his girlfriend and her 14-year-old daughter hostage for more than eight hours, was charged with multiple counts of attempted murder of a peace officer and other felonies. Christopher Warsaw, 45, was charged with 10 counts each of attempted murder of a peace officer and assault on a peace officer with a semiautomatic firearm, two counts of false imprisonment and single counts of kidnapping, child abuse, criminal threats and possession of a firearm by a felon, according to the District Attorney’s Office. He was ordered to remain jailed in lieu of $11.7 million bail while awaiting arraignment Dec. 20 in Inglewood Superior Court.
Warsaw allegedly opened fire on Inglewood police officers when they responded to a domestic dispute at 12:40 p.m. Wednesday November 27, near 108th Street and Fifth Avenue. Two officers were wounded, although only one was actually shot in the barrage of gunfire. Police said the officer’s life was saved by his bulletproof vest.
The suspect then barricaded himself inside the home until shortly after 9 p.m., when he surrendered to authorities. The woman and teen were freed. Witnesses said the disturbance began when the suspect was seen dragging the teenage girl into the home. The standoff forced the evacuation of surrounding homes, with some neighbors describing the scene as akin to a war zone due to the number of shots that were fired.
Warsaw faces up to life in prison if convicted, according to the District Attorneys Office.