Click here for updates on this story
Hollywood, CA (KTLA) — A Netflix employee who had been recently fired called in a threat to a former coworker, saying he had a gun and was on the company’s Hollywood studio lot, prompting a lockdown affecting Netflix and KTLA on Thursday, according to lot security.
The man, who was taken into custody but ultimately released without charges, was never actually on the lot, according to Los Angeles Police Department Officer Tony Im.
No gun was found when the person was taken into custody, Im said.
Netflix and KTLA are among the media businesses located on the 11-acre Sunset Bronson Studios lot at 5800 Sunset Blvd. in a busy area of Hollywood. KTLA employees were alerted that they were on lockdown about 4:26 p.m., and were advised to avoid windows. Soon after that, aerial video from Sky5 showed people being led out of Netflix’s Cue building in the middle of the lot.
Shortly before 5 p.m., police said the suspect had been detained.
Sunset Bronson Studios security told KTLA that the call to an employee that prompted the lockdown came from a disgruntled former Netflix employee who had been fired Wednesday.
The man stated in the call that he was armed and “ready to take action,” Im had said. The individual’s identity has not been released; police did not indicate that the suspect had been a Netflix employee.
About a dozen LAPD cars responded to the studios, and officers patrolled the lot until the lockdown was lifted.
In a statement, Netflix said: “We received a tip about a potential law enforcement incident. Police are conducting a sweep of the lot out of an abundance of caution. There is no immediate danger or threat to our employees.”
Im wasn’t sure where the suspect was detained, but said police did a “followup” several blocks away from the lot, in the 5600 block of Franklin Avenue. Video from Sky5 showed several patrol cars outside residences on the corner of Franklin and North Gramercy Place.
About 5:35 p.m., LAPD informed KTLA that the lockdown had been lifted.
Police ultimately determined that there had been no credible threat, and no crime had occurred, In said.
The situation prompted multiple false social media posts about an “active shooter” at Netflix.
Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.
