Friday August 31 4:33 PM ET

Man Barricaded in Burning LA Home, Officer Killed

By Dan Whitcomb

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A man wanted on weapon possession charges allegedly shot and killed a sheriff's deputy on Friday before barricading himself in a home that went up in flames, apparently after officers fired tear gas inside .

As local television stations showed the home engulfed in flames and thick black smoke, authorities said it was not clear if 35-year-old James Beck -- who held officers at bay for more than four hours -- was still alive inside.

``I would hope that Mr. Beck would be at least smart enough to come out at this point,'' a Los Angeles County Sheriff's spokesman said as flames shot through the roof of the two-story building.

Sheriff Lee Baca said Beck shot the deputy, Hagop ``Jake'' Kuredjian, to death at about 9 a.m. PDT (12:00 p.m. EDT) on Friday when the 17-year veteran, another deputy and agents from the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms were trying to serve a search warrant.

Baca, who was visibly upset during a press conference, said the 40-year-old deputy was rushed to a local hospital but died a short time later.

``In the course of his effort to apprehend this suspect, Deputy Kuredjian was shot with what we believe was one shot and fatally wounded,'' Baca said. ``I would like to express my deep sorrow to his family who were notified and are on their way.''

Beck, who was initially suspected of being a felon in possession of firearms and impersonating a deputy U.S. Marshal, barricaded himself inside the two-story home, in an unincorporated area about 30 miles northwest of Los Angeles, near the community of Santa Clarita.

Local television stations reported that the ATF had been investigating Beck for allegedly stockpiling weapons in the home and had told neighbors that he was a U.S. Marshal.

The 35-year-old suspect allegedly exchanged hundreds of rounds of gunfire with officers over several hours, a sheriff's spokesman said and also allegedly fired at police helicopters circling overhead.

Shortly before noon PDT (3:00 p.m. EDT) a fire broke out in the upstairs of the house, apparently after officers fired tear gas into the house in an effort to make Beck surrender, but Beck stayed inside as the flames spread throughout the house.

Local television stations, which carried much of the standoff live, showed fire crews pouring water on the home as students at a nearby school were evacuated with a police escort.

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