A 32-year-old man suspected of kidnapping a woman he knew in Santa Monica and leading police on a pursuit that ended with officers opening fire was taken into custody, police announced Tuesday.
Officers responded about 12:14 a.m. Sunday to a Vons store at 1311 Wilshire Blvd. after receiving reports of a kidnapping involving an adult victim, according to the Santa Monica Police Department.
Investigators identified Jorge Luis Vega as the suspect and determined he and the victim had been in a dating relationship, police said.
Authorities said Vega approached the victim in the store parking lot before leaving with her in a vehicle. Police said he also threatened a witness who attempted to intervene.
Detectives later located the victim in Beaumont, where she was no longer with Vega, police said.
Police said officers located Vega around 3:15 a.m. Monday, prompting a pursuit that ended in the 900 block of West 85th Street in Los Angeles, where officers fired their weapons.
No officers were injured and no gunshot victims were reported, police said.
Vega was arrested on suspicion of kidnapping, criminal threats, brandishing a firearm, rape and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Police said the victim’s identity was being withheld because of the ongoing investigation.
Anyone with information regarding the investigation was urged to contact Detective Hilda Lucero at hilda.lucero@santamonica.gov or 310-458-8939, Detective Esteban Hernandez at esteban.hernandez@santamonica.gov or 310-458-8946, Sgt. Alfonso Lozano at alfonso.lozano@santamonica.gov or 310-458-8774, or the SMPD watch commander at 310-458-8427.