Update: The Daily Breeze identifies the suspect as Joe Moshe, 56, of Westchester. Moshe's mother and neighbors are quoted in the story as saying he is depressed, unemployed and does not take needed medication, which is not specified.

The L.A. Times' Andrew Blankstein reports that the LAPD tried to end a five-hourlong stalemate between it and a man in a car by ramming it with an assault vehicle. The unidentified man allegedly sent threatening messages to the White House. The standoff began earlier today following a police chase of the man's Volkswagen Beetle — which now has a surveillance-camera-equipped robot parked next to it.

SWAT members have reportedly taken up positions at the Westwood Boulevard and Veteran Avenue site, with residents of nearby apartments having been evacuated. The L.A. Daily News adds that the FBI (which has its L.A. offices in the Federal Building) is also on the scene and that the man has two outstanding warrants for unspecified misdemeanors.

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