Man evades arrest, causes ‘heavy police activity’ in downtown SLO neighborhood

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A man escaped arrest in a San Luis Obispo neighborhood on Wednesday afternoon, prompting a large police response, according to the San Luis Obispo Police Department .

While officers were investigating an undisclosed issue in a downtown San Luis Obispo neighborhood on Wednesday morning, they were directed to talk with a suspect in an apartment on Morro Road at about 10:53 a.m., Lt. Caleb Kemp said.

Kemp declined to provide details about the reason for the investigation but said there was no public safety concern.

When the suspect spotted the police, he fled the area, Kemp said.

Officers set up a perimeter around the apartment, then used a K9 and a drone to search for the man. They did not locate him.

The Police Department asked the public to avoid the 800 blocks of Walnut and Morro roads in a social media post around 11:35 a.m., saying there was “heavy police activity.”

By 11:50 a.m., police at the scene told The Tribune the situation had been resolved, though without an arrest. Police said on social media the situation ended at 12:08 p.m.

“ There’s nothing of significance,” Kemp later told The Tribune on a phone call. “It’s not a serious crime that we’re investigating.”

Police Activity in San Luis Obispo

Police activity has been reported on the 800 block of Morro Street and the 800 block of Walnut Street.

Map created with the assistance of ChatGPT.