LAPD releases video of deadly shootout between officers, gunman at Woodland Hills motel​on February 1, 2025 at 2:04 pm

WOODLAND HILLS, LOS ANGELES. (KABC) — The Los Angeles Police Department released videos that show a deadly shootout between officers and a gunman at a Woodland Hills motel.

The incident unfolded around 10:15 p.m. on Dec. 29 at the Vantage Point Inn on Ventura Boulevard, near Topanga Canyon Boulevard and the 101 Freeway, according to the LAPD.

Officers responded to a call about a man with a gun at a motel.

The man’s frightening tirade and talk of weapons terrified other motel guests, prompting them to call 911. Footage showed the man was naked and shouting angrily just outside his motel room.

“He’s in the room next door to me,” said one of the callers. “He’s screaming about his gun and he’s out there screaming. I looked out the window barely and I saw him. And we did see him with a gun and he’s walking past our window.”

As police responded to the call, the man identified as Benjamin Prince left his room carrying two guns.

A security camera shows him going along the second floor walkway and then suddenly taking a shot at a person below. That person takes off running.

As police cruisers pull up on Ventura Boulevard, they’re immediately confronted with gunfire and officers fire back.

“Officer needs help, officer needs help, shots fired,” an officer can be heard saying in the video.

Prince took cover behind a stairwell, but returned several more times to fire off shots at officers, who continued to return fire.

The SWAT team was called out to the scene. After failing to contact Prince, they moved in and found him deceased from a gunshot wound suffered in his shootout with police.

Officers recovered two air rifles, both able to fire metallic rounds of ammunition.

Prince was identified as 47-year-old resident of Redding.

A use-of-force investigation is underway.