Suspect was shot after firing at LAPD with gun in each hand at the end of the chase, police chief says

LOS ANGELES (KABC) — With a gun in each hand, a domestic violence suspect opened fire on police after a chase ended Tuesday in West Adams and was immediately shot by officers, LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell said.

The suspect was taken to a hospital in critical condition, an LAPD spokesman said.

An innocent woman who was in the area was also shot in the arm and was taken to a local hospital. She is expected to survive.

The violent series of events occurred around 12:17 p.m. when police were called about a domestic violence suspect in a white Maserati who appeared to be following an alleged victim who was traveling on a DASH city bus in the San Pedro area.

Officers found the Maserati traveling northbound on the 110 Freeway and attempted to stop the suspect. He briefly pulled to the side of the road but then ran away as officers approached.

They chased him across the highway and into the West Adams area and eventually into a residential neighborhood near West and Jefferson boulevards.

The suspect pulled into a driveway, parked behind a residence and walked toward the street where police approached.

“The suspect in the driveway pulled out two guns – one in each hand – and opened fire on the officers,” McDonnell said. “The officers returned fire and struck the suspect.”

“The suspect was on the ground, officers went to his location, recovered the firearms, rendered him aid, requested an ambulance, which responded and transported the suspect to a local hospital.”

McDonnell says it appears from the bullet casings on the ground near the suspect that he fired his weapons multiple times. The officers also fired several shots.

“It happened very quickly,” said McDonnell, who was just named the city’s police chief earlier this month. “Thank God no officers were injured. This shows what our officers face out there every day: They are faced with a suspect who will do what he has to do to get away.”