Man armed with sledgehammer dies while being detained at Long Beach elementary school

A man armed with a sledgehammer died at a Long Beach elementary school after a group of men detained him in the campus parking lot.

According to the Long Beach Police Department, the incident started at the 6700 block of Orizaba Avenue, at about 2:25 p.m. Tuesday afternoon after officers received a call from someone reporting a home invasion. 

When they arrived in the area, residents directed them to the nearby McKinley Elementary School at 6822 Paramount Boulevard. 

Witnesses said the man climbed the school's exterior fence while carrying a small sledgehammer. A group of men pulled the man off a second fence surrounding the campus grounds. After pulling him down, they punched and kicked him in their attempt to disarm and detain the man. Amid the brawl, the man became unresponsive. 

Upon arrival, officers took over the situation and placed the subject in handcuffs but noticed that he was unresponsive. 

They tried to render medical aid while they waited for the Long Beach Fire Department. He was declared dead shortly after firefighters arrived. 

Investigators said that the deceased man armed with a small sledgehammer was the person reporting the home invasion. Detectives claimed that the home invasion report was unfounded and falsely reported. 

The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner classified this man's manner of death as a homicide.   

Detectives have launched an investigation into the incident. The department considers this an in-custody death since the man was handcuffed. 

Officers did not arrest the group of men. 

Anyone with information is urged to contact homicide detectives at (562) 570-7244.