Police shooting shuts down northound 215 Freeway in San Bernardino

The California Highway Patrol closed all northbound lanes of the 215 Freeway in San Bernardino after a police chase that ended in a fatal shooting Friday afternoon.

The highway will not be reopened until at least 10 p.m., San Bernardino Police Lt. Richard Lawhead said.

The incident began when a man suspected of stealing a vehicle led officers on a chase that moved from city streets to the freeway, Lawhead said.

“He ran into multiple police cars and at one point went the wrong way and struck a police car head on,” Lawhead said.

He said that at some point the suspected car thief was shot by five officers as he attempted to ram a police car. One officer fired from inside his vehicle, Lawhead said.

Police estimate that 18 rounds were fired, but that has yet to be confirmed, Lawhead said.

The shooting has caused the closure of the freeway at University Parkway as detectives investigate the officer-involved shooting.

No further details about the incident were immediately available.

This marks the third time in one week that a high-speed chase ended in a shooting.

Aaron Lorta, 29, was charged with one count of carjacking, three counts of attempted carjacking and one count of fleeing a police officer after he allegedly led police on a high-speed chase Wednesday across southeast Los Angeles. Police shot Lorta as he tried to carjack another victim.

Another man killed himself in his car after a high-speed chase with police through Los Angeles on Thursday. The man, who has not been identified, was wanted on a warrant for pistolwhipping a man who was dating his ex-girlfriend, officials said.

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