Carjacking Suspect Dies in Gunfight With Police : Violence: Authorities say the pair shot a motorist and fled in his vehicle. Second man is arrested after high-speed chase.

Police Wednesday shot to death one of two carjackers who wounded a motorist and fled in his car on a high-speed chase through the streets of Pacoima before engaging officers in a gunfight, authorities said.

The carjacking victim, whom witnesses identified as a man in his early 20s, was in good condition at Holy Cross Medical Center, a hospital spokeswoman said. Police and hospital officials would not reveal the victim’s name.

The violent episode began about 3:30 p.m. when two robbers shot the car owner in the leg outside an auto parts store at the corner of Van Nuys and Laurel Canyon boulevards, police said.

“They were laughing when they shot him,” LAPD spokesman Lt. John Dunkin said.

The carjackers then fled in the victim’s blue Chevrolet Blazer north on Laurel Canyon Boulevard, leaving the man writhing in pain in the store’s parking lot, police said.

Acting on a tip, police pursued the Blazer until it crashed into a curb in the 13900 block of Daventry Street, about seven blocks away. The carjacker in the passenger seat jumped out and began shooting at the pursuing officers, who returned fire, Dunkin said.

“The guy with the gun unloaded on police and tried to make a break for it,” said Miguel Zeda, 20, of Pacoima, a bystander who saw the gunfight.

The gun battle ended when officers fatally shot the gunman behind a house at the corner of Daventry and Laurel Canyon Boulevard, Dunkin said. No officers were injured.

The other carjacker ran east on Daventry, but surrendered to officers who found him hiding near a house about a block away, police said. He was arrested on suspicion of murder--for his alleged involvement in a crime in which someone was killed--and taken to Foothill police station.

Police identified the dead man as Billy Sales, 24, and the suspect in custody as Robert Vincent Estrada, 27.

The owner of the auto parts store where the incident began, who asked not to be identified, said he called police after a woman ran into the store crying hysterically over the shooting outside. He ran out to find the wounded car owner, whom he said was a regular customer, in the parking lot.

A worker at the store, who asked not to be identified, said he waited by the victim’s side until police arrived minutes later.

“After we heard the commotion, we went out and police were here sooner than you can imagine,” he said. “(The victim) was really quiet. He wanted his father.”

Wednesday’s incident was the second carjacking in as many days in the San Fernando Valley.

Hag Mahmoud Tahir, 34, of Los Angeles was being held by police on suspicion of robbery and assault. Tahir is accused of beating an Encino woman Tuesday, pushing her out of her van, running over her and then leading police on a nearly hourlong chase through Valley streets before surrendering, police said.

Times staff writer Julie Tamaki contributed to this story.