A suspect who allegedly shot and critically injured a tow truck driver was fatally shot by California Highway Patrol officers Friday in Covina.
Officers from the Covina Police Department began pursuing the suspect at 2:49 a.m. Friday as he was driving eastbound on the Foothill (210) Freeway near Grand Avenue after the alleged assault on the tow truck driver, a CHP officer told City News Service.
Paramedics rushed the wounded tow truck driver to a hospital, where he was listed in critical condition.
As CHP officers responded to the shooting, they spotted the suspect vehicle traveling on the 210 Freeway, exiting at Grand Avenue in Glendora.
The officers attempted a traffic stop, but the suspect failed to pull over, leading officers on a pursuit through Glendora and Covina, authorities said. The suspect eventually pulled into a gas station at Arrow Highway and North Citrus Avenue in Covina and exited his vehicle with a handgun, prompting officers to open fire, authorities said.
The CHP did not immediately disclose how many officers opened fire, nor how many shots were fired.
The suspect was rushed to a hospital, where he died as a result of his injuries. A handgun allegedly was recovered at the scene of the shooting.
A Covina police lieutenant told CNS on Friday evening there was no update available on the condition of the tow truck driver. The lieutenant added that investigators have not released details on how or why the tow truck driver was shot.
The CHP said the identity and age of the suspect will be released by the Los Angeles County medical examiner’s office.