Aurora police arrest man for threatening L.A. police

Steven Brokaw wanted the Los Angeles SWAT team to end his life, police say.

The only problem was that Brokaw was 1,980 miles away in an Aurora motel room.

Brokaw, 48, of Malibu Beach, Calif., was charged Wednesday with felony disorderly conduct. Police said Brokaw placed more than five threatening telephone calls on Tuesday to the Los Angeles Police Department.

"(Brokaw) claimed to have an AK-47 assault rifle, a pistol, some ammunition and explosives," Aurora police spokesman Dan Ferrelli said. "He repeatedly called, indicating he intended to have a shootout with police and he wanted the SWAT team to kill him. He also promised to kill several innocent civilians."

Los Angeles officials traced his cell phone to a tower in Naperville and contacted police for assistance.

After checking area hotels, officers found him around 1 a.m. Wednesday registered at a motel on the 4200 block of Longmeadow Drive.

"He expressed relief when he was arrested," Ferrelli said. "He told the officers he realized he was mentally unstable and hoped to get help."

Police searched his room and found no weapons. They did not know how long he had been at the hotel or why he was in Aurora.

Ferrelli said Brokaw is known to the LAPD but did not elaborate.

Police said Brokaw was hospitalized Wednesday afternoon at an Aurora medical facility with chest pains. His condition was unknown.