Video of a dangerous July 10 high-speed chase in East Los Angeles captured the moment that officers opened fire and killed a suspected carjacker at the end of the pursuit, KTLA5 reported Wednesday.
The 19-year-old suspect, identified as Luis Flores, had rammed a police car, hit other motorists and put pedestrians in danger before police pinned the stolen vehicle up against a pole, officials alleged, according to KTLA5.
“Yes, yes! Crash, crash, crash!” the newscaster can be heard saying in the video released by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD). “Into the light pole. He’s crashed into a light pole.” (RELATED: ‘Almost Like A Movie Scene’: Video Shows Police Shoot Carjacking Suspect)
“Trying to put it into reverse. He’s reversing into the black and white. He’s flooring it. Backing it into the black and white, not going anywhere,” the newscaster continued in the video. The video is age restricted on YouTube and cannot be embedded.
The 19-year-old carjacking suspect rammed a patrol vehicle, as well as motorists’ cars and endangered pedestrians during the 20 minute high-speed chase, authorities said. Details: https://t.co/YbjeGiqUKY pic.twitter.com/xzKGHHGa6Z
— KTLA (@KTLA) August 15, 2024
Footage appears to show the suspect back into the police car and then apparently floor the gas as the stuck car’s tires burn and smoke fills the air.
“Car’s smoking. He’s done. He’s done,” the newscaster says before police open fire on the suspect. “Oh! They’re shooting! They’re shooting! They’re shooting! Shooting rounds into the rear windshield. He’s done. Suspect unconscious, looks like.”
Police in the video can be heard saying, “Stop the car! Stop the car!” and “He’s pressing the gas!” in the video. The latter was said when Flores smoked the tires and tried to reverse into officers, according to the LASD’s account.
Deputies got Flores out of the car and “rendered medical aid” before the Los Angeles County Fire Department arrived and took the suspect to a hospital where he died on July 16, the LASD said.
The pursuit started when deputies received a call about an allegedly carjacked vehicle, identified the car and pulled Flores over, according to the LASD. When deputies exited their vehicle, Flores slammed the stolen vehicle into reverse, smashed the police car and drove away, the LASD alleged.
The pursuit lasted for roughly 20 minutes, KTLA5 reported.
Other than Flores, nobody else was injured, the sheriff’s department said.
The California Department of Justice’s Division of Law Enforcement is investigating the incident, according to the LASD.