High-speed police chase ends in downtown L.A.; suspect flees on foot

A high-speed chase through the streets of downtown Los Angeles on Thursday ended with a kidnapping suspect fleeing on foot, evading the pursuing officers.

Stretches of several downtown L.A. streets were closed Thursday afternoon as police searched for the suspect, who they said could be armed with a weapon.

The chase began when authorities tried to stop a red SUV near Cesar Chavez and Record avenues at about 12:45 p.m., but the suspect did not pull over, the LAPD said. It ended near 8th Street and Broadway, where the suspect appeared to have lost the police tail long enough to flee.

Police set up a perimeter in the area, which is filled with multistory buildings and heavy pedestrian traffic. Included in the street closures was Hill Street and Broadway, both between 8th and 9th, according to the LAPD.

No other information about the suspect or the alleged kidnapping that sparked the pursuit was immediately available.

[Updated 3 p.m. PDT April 17: LAPD spokesman Richard French confirmed the perimeter had been broken down by 2:45 p.m. Thursday, but said it was not immediately clear why that decision was made. No arrests were reported.

“That doesn’t mean we’re not looking for this person anymore,” French said. “It might be on a smaller scale, or trying a different approach.”]