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LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) - A suspect wanted in three separate street murders early Tuesday morning in Exposition Park and downtown Los Angeles that left two people dead has been shot dead by police after a long chase and dramatic standoff on a major highway in the Orange County city of Fullerton.
At the scene of an encounter with a murder suspect in Anaheim, California. 27. April 2021. (CBSLA)
The shooting appears to have been an accident. The situation unfolded shortly before 1 a.m. when the suspect opened fire on a vehicle near Figueroa Street and Exposition Boulevard, the LAPD said. One person was taken to the hospital with minor injuries.
About 30 minutes later, a second shooting occurred at the Starbucks gas station on Figueroa and 28th. Street. A 25-year-old man who was waiting in line in his car outside the store was shot multiple times and died at the scene, police said. The family of the deceased told CBSLA that he was in his 20s and lived in the neighborhood. His wife was in the car with him, but she was not injured. His sister worked as a barista at Starbucks but was off duty at the time of the shooting.
A third shooting occurred minutes later at Figueroa and 7th Street in downtown Los Angeles, also killing the driver of a Cadillac Escalade. The victim was possibly an Uber driver, CBSLA reports.
Officers soon discovered that he matched the description of the shooting suspect, a man in a white Cherokee. That information was immediately shared with all patrol units to stop the violence, LAPD Lt. Raul Jovel said at a Tuesday morning briefing in Fullerton. The officers realized that the suspect was shooting at members of the community almost indiscriminately.
In one of the shootings in Los Angeles, California. 27. April 2021. (CBSLA)
The shooting also prompted the nearby University of Southern California to alert its students.
About 15 minutes after the third shot was fired, officers spotted the suspect’s Jeep at the intersection of Washington Boulevard and Maple Avenue, after which a pursuit was initiated.
on one of the sets of the Exposition Park in South Los Angeles, California. 27. April 2021. (CBSLA)
The SUV drove onto Highways 10, 57 and 60 and was headed for Orange County. The suspect fired at the officers during the pursuit, the LAPD said.
Around 3:30 a.m., the California Highway Patrol placed spikes that brought a Jeep to a stop on the west side of Interstate 91 near the Raymond Avenue exit at the Anaheim/Fullerton border.
However, the suspect refused to get out of the SUV and continued to behave improperly by rolling up and down the windows. The LAPD SWAT team was called and the 91 Freeway was closed in both directions.
on the 91 freeway in Anaheim. 27. April 2021. (CBSLA)
The police tried to negotiate with the man through loudspeakers.
At one point, they tried to get the suspect to talk to a family member, but were unsuccessful, Jovel said.
Police used stun guns and tear gas against the jeep. Then, at approximately 5:15 a.m., the suspect allegedly opened fire on the officers, who then returned fire. He was shot and died.
At one point, the suspect opened fire on the officers, resulting in a shooting involving the officers, Jovel said. The suspect was shot and pronounced dead at the scene by the local fire department.
A gun was found at the scene. The suspect, a man in his 40s or 50s, was not immediately identified.
Alexis Carbajal, 25, and Minji Zhu, 41, were later identified.
We have no idea what caused it, Jovel said.
All westbound lanes of the 91 Freeway remained closed for most of the day, but reopened after 3 p.m.
Meanwhile, Figueroa Street was rebuilt between 27th and 30th streets. Street in Exposition Park was closed for more than eight hours while investigators examined several crime scenes.
