Man under evaluation for alleged gun threat locking down L.A. Times building

(Reuters) - A man who allegedly threatened to open fire in the building that houses the Los Angeles Times' headquarters was being held in custody for a mental evaluation, police said on Saturday.

The man, whose identity has not been released, was taken into custody early Friday evening after he allegedly told witnesses he was depressed and did not mind killing, according to the newspaper.

The man, who worked for a business that rents space in the building, also handed a person a bag of bullets, the Times said.

Police responded to the incident and put parts of the building on lockdown after he allegedly threatened to open fire on the third floor.

No gun was recovered from the scene and there were no reports of injuries or shots fired, police spokeswoman Norma Eisenman said on Saturday.

The department's mental evaluation unit is in charge of the case and will not release information on the incident or the man's identity until Monday, at the earliest, according to Eisenman.

(Reporting by Brendan O'Brien in Milwaukee; Editing by Barbara Goldberg in New York and Paul Simao)