LONG BEACH, CA – A suspect connected to a shooting that injured three men in Long Beach early Tuesday allegedly opened fire on pursuing officers along the northbound 710 Freeway before crashing into a pole in downtown Los Angeles and being taken into custody, authorities said.
The incident began at approximately 12:24 a.m. on Sept. 1, when officers with the Long Beach Police Department responded to the 200 block of Aquarium Way regarding a shooting involving multiple victims.
Officers found three adult men injured at the scene.
Two were transported to a hospital with injuries police described as non-life-threatening, while a third man was treated at the scene and did not require hospital transportation.
Police quickly developed information about a possible suspect and associated vehicle.
Officers later located the vehicle near Burnett Street and Pacific Avenue and attempted a traffic stop, but the driver refused to stop, according to LBPD.
The encounter then turned into a vehicle pursuit.
As the suspect traveled north on the 710 Freeway, police said he fired shots toward officers following behind him.
An officer-involved shooting occurred during the pursuit.
Neither the suspect nor any officers were struck by gunfire.
Police said no officers were injured.
The pursuit continued into Los Angeles before ending when the suspect vehicle crashed into a pole.
The source material places the collision at East 11th Street and South Santa Fe Avenue in downtown Los Angeles.
Following the crash, officers took the suspect into custody. LBPD said a 40mm less-lethal weapon was used during the arrest.
The suspect suffered injuries related to the vehicle collision and was transported to a hospital for treatment.
His identity had not been publicly released.
Police also recovered a firearm connected to the incident.
Shooting Investigation Spans Multiple Locations
The case now involves several distinct scenes extending from Long Beach into Los Angeles.
Investigators are examining the original shooting on Aquarium Way, the location where officers first attempted to stop the suspect vehicle, the stretch of the 710 Freeway where police say shots were fired toward officers, and the downtown Los Angeles crash site.
LBPD has not publicly disclosed how many shots the suspect allegedly fired or how many rounds officers discharged in response.
Authorities also have not said whether ballistic testing has connected the recovered firearm to both the Aquarium Way shooting and the gunfire during the freeway pursuit.
The motive for the initial shooting remains unknown.
According to LBPD, the circumstances and motive remain under investigation, and the department described the information released Tuesday as preliminary.
Police have also not said what connection, if any, existed between the suspect and the three injured men.
Northbound 710 Freeway Closed
The investigation affected traffic well after the pursuit ended.
Northbound lanes of the 710 Freeway at Long Beach Boulevard were closed while investigators worked around the scene, according to the information provided with the report.
Motorists were urged to avoid the area.
The freeway closure reflects the unusually broad scope of the investigation. Evidence potentially connected to the exchange of gunfire had to be documented along an active freeway corridor while investigators also processed the original shooting and final crash sites.
Police have not announced how long the freeway closure was expected to remain in place.
Body-Worn Camera Footage Under Review
LBPD said the officers involved were equipped with body-worn cameras.
The department is reviewing that footage and said it intends to make video available publicly once the review process permits.
Officer-involved shootings in Long Beach also trigger a broader internal and criminal investigative process.
According to the department’s published procedure, homicide detectives, supervisors and forensic specialists respond to officer-involved shootings, while the case can also receive review from the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office depending on the circumstances.
LBPD said Tuesday’s shooting will undergo a full, multi-level review.
That review is separate from the criminal investigation into the suspect’s alleged actions.
Charges Have Not Yet Been Announced
Authorities have not said what charges the suspect will face after being released from the hospital.
Potential charging decisions will depend on the evidence collected from the original shooting, alleged gunfire directed toward officers, pursuit and crash.
Police have not announced whether investigators believe anyone else was involved.
The conditions of the three men injured in the original shooting were described as non-life-threatening, and no updated medical information has been released.
Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact Long Beach police detectives at 562-570-7244.
Anonymous tips can also be submitted through L.A. Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477).
The investigation remains ongoing.
