Police display what was in Kaplan’s house
HOLLYWOOD — A night-long police standoff shut down the Hollywood streets into the wee hours of April Fools’ Day due to death threats from a former attorney brandishing a replica rifle around 10:30 PM at 1540 North Vine Street.
Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office officials announced yesterday that Steven Gregory Kaplan (aka Sebastian Kane, dob 2/23/62) was charged with threatening people with a replica firearm from his apartment. He pleaded not guilty to three felony counts of criminal threats and one felony count of vandalism over $400.
Multiple agencies were dispatched when Kaplan allegedly threatened to kill a tenant who was in the pool area of the apartment complex.
Kaplan later allegedly pointed what appeared to be a rifle and threatened to kill pedestrians below his apartment. The weapon was later determined to be a pellet rifle.
Captain Cory Palka noted that LAPD officials had responded to incidents at the apartment before.
During Kaplan’s standoff with police and apartment complex evacuation, he smashed the apartment’s windows. The suspect gave no response to law enforcement during the six-hour barricade in his flat.
He was removed by tear gas and taken into custody at approximately 7 AM, with no injuries reported. Weapons were recovered at the scene. Officials gave no further information about the former attorney.
Bail was set at $1 million. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for April 17th at Foltz Criminal Justice Center.
Kaplan faces up to six years in prison.
