Authorities Friday examined the background of a man who, after a California Highway Patrol attempt to pull him over for a carpool lane violation, fired harmlessly on a CHP officer in Long Beach and then took his own life.
The suspect also made several armed robbery and carjacking attempts in the area of the 2000 block of South Street before fatally shooting himself, Long Beach Police said. He first came under notice for a carpool lane violation on the eastbound Artesia (91) Freeway near Long Beach Boulevard, police said.
The suspect’s vehicle, a Ford Taurus, exited the freeway at Long Beach Boulevard, drove slowly through a red light and then accelerated away.
A three-to-four minute pursuit ended about 1:30 p.m. Thursday near Cherry Avenue and South Street, where the suspect crashed into a cinder block wall surrounding a parking lot, according to Long Beach Police and the California Highway Patrol.
The suspect abandoned the car and took off on foot, firing shots at the pursuing CHP officer as he ran, Long Beach police spokeswoman Marlene Arrona said. The officer did not return fire, police said.
The suspect was later found near railway tracks. A weapon was recovered at the scene, police said.
No details about the suspect were immediately released. A joint CHP-LBPD investigation was underway, police said.
—City News Service