LOS ANGELES, Calif. (KTLA) –
The driver of a stolen car, who in turn carjacked a second vehicle, was shot Monday evening after leading police on a high-speed chase on surface streets and freeways from East Los Angeles to Montebello.
The pursuit started around 5:15 p.m. on First Street in Boyle Heights as a stolen car investigation, according to Los Angeles Police Department Officer Rosario Herrera.
Aerial video showed the man driving erratically in and out of traffic, speeding through numerous red lights and traveling on the wrong side of the street.
He collided with several vehicles during the pursuit, but kept going, the video showed.
In South Gate, a collision with another vehicle disabled the stolen vehicle. At that point, the driver jumped out of the stolen car and carjacked a second vehicle driven by a 22-year-old mother of two.
“He was pointing the gun at me, I just got out of the car and ran,” Elizabeth Yarahuan said. “I was just scared he was going to hurt me.”
The young mother was alone in the car, but says she usually has her two little girls with her.
After he took Yarahuan’s car, officers chased him across several freeways before he exited the 60 Freeway in Montebello at Via Campo near Garfield Avenue, aerial video from Sky5 showed.
On the off-ramp, the suspect got wedged while trying to squeeze between two vehicles and became stuck, aerial video showed.
He got out of the carjacked vehicle and tried to carjack two other cars, but was unsuccessful.
As he tried to flee, the man could be seen suddenly falling to the ground.
While on the ground he was shot by officers, according to Los Angeles Police Department Officer Rosario Herrera.
Before he could get up, he was swarmed by officers.
“Anytime you have complete disregard for public safety and the safety of other individuals … it’s very dangerous,” said Officer Frank Preciado.
The suspect was taken away by ambulance. There was no word on his condition.
He was described only as a Hispanic man between the age of 30 and 35, according to Preciado.
A gun was recovered at the scene, Preciado said. The type of gun was not released.
