Police standoff that forced BART Coliseum closure ends with suspect's arrest

OAKLAND -- The Coliseum BART station in Oakland was closed for several hours Sunday afternoon as a result of a police standoff with a suspect who allegedly fled from San Leandro police following an armed robbery.

According to police, a driver barricaded himself inside his car -- a silver Hyundai 2-door hatchback that had been reported stolen -- at 7200 San Leandro Street while negotiations were underway.

The San Leandro police department connected the suspect to an armed robbery which occurred around 11:30 a.m. Sunday at a business in the 1000 block of MacArthur Boulevard in San Leandro.

Around 2 p.m., law enforcement officers spotted the suspect  near the intersection of Washington Avenue and Lewlling Boulevard. The officers attempted to make a stop but the suspect evaded arrest by ramming one of the patrol cars, according to police.

The chase eventually led both parties to Oakland, where the Hyundai was eventually disabled in the vicinity of the Coliseum BART station. 

For over three hours, police urged the driver to exit his vehicle and surrender peacefully.  Working from an armored vehicle, negotiators were assisted by a surveillance drone and were later backed up by a SWAT team from San Leandro as well as Oakland police.

After deploying gas, officers were ultimately successful in arresting him without further incident at around 7 p.m. and the Coliseum BART station was reopened at that time.