L.A. police shoot armed domestic violence suspect on live TV after chase

A man suspected in a domestic violence incident led Los Angeles police on a chase that ended with a shootout in the city’s West Adams neighborhood Tuesday afternoon.

The chase began shortly after noon when officers first responded to the domestic incident at Gaffey and 19th streets in San Pedro.

According to LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell, someone on a public transit bus called 911 to report an assault and said the perpetrator was following the bus in a white Maserati. Police caught up with the driver on the 110 Freeway where he refused to pull over, officials said.

The chase continued into the West Adams area. Sky5 was overhead with live television coverage as the suspect pulled into the rear parking lot of an apartment complex in the 4100 block of Jefferson Boulevard. He stepped out of the sports car and immediately began walking down the alley toward officers wearing a hooded sweatshirt.

Dramatic footage then shows the man pulling what appeared to be two handguns from his pockets and aiming at officers, who fired several shots, dropping him to the ground.

Chief McDonnell said the gunman survived but was listed in critical condition at a local hospital. No officers were wounded, McDonnell said.

“It was very quick … Thank God no officers were injured during this,” McDonnell said during an afternoon news conference. “This kind of [thing] shows just what our officers are facing out there every day: confronting a suspect who’s going to do what they gotta do to get away.”

Three women could be seen being taken away in handcuffs by officers, though their connection to the pursuit wasn’t immediately clear.

A neighbor said the suspect lives inside the apartment complex where the shooting occurred.