Pursuit Ends in Suspect’s Death

A Culver City man driving a stolen sport utility vehicle was shot and killed by Los Angeles police officers in Oxnard after he led police on a 40-mile pursuit and then tried to run them down, authorities said Sunday.

Pending notification of relatives, coroner’s officials would not identify the 28-year-old man, who died at the scene about 11:50 p.m. Saturday.

The shooting at Oxnard Boulevard and Gonzales Road came after a nearly hourlong pursuit that began in Venice and continued up the Pacific Coast Highway, authorities said.

During the pursuit, the 1999 Chevrolet Suburban slammed into several parked cars as the driver attempted to elude police, Los Angeles Police Officer Guillermo Campos said.

LAPD officers spotted the Suburban in Venice shortly after receiving a call that it had been stolen in Marina del Rey, Campos said.

“The suspect jumped in the car and the victim and some other witnesses tried to stop him,” Campos said. “He tried to run them down.”

After pursuing the suspect briefly in another car, the victim called 911, Campos said.

A passenger in the Suburban jumped out shortly after the pursuit began and was taken into custody, officials said.

The suspect passed through Malibu and Point Mugu, with LAPD and California Highway Patrol officers in pursuit, then turned onto Oxnard Boulevard. He raced north through downtown Oxnard, slamming into several cars on Oxnard Boulevard before spinning out of control and ending up facing pursuing officers, Campos said.

Guns drawn, officers from the LAPD, Oxnard Police Department and CHP shouted at the man to get out of the car and surrender.

Instead, Campos said, the man gunned the engine and barreled toward officers crouched near an LAPD squad car.

Officers opened fire, striking the suspect several times, Campos said.

The man died from multiple gunshot wounds, Senior Deputy Coroner Mitch Breese said.

The intersection was closed until about 10 a.m. Sunday.

A witness said he heard at least eight gunshots.

“We saw the SUV parked facing the opposite way and about 15 to 20 police cars,” said Tracey Long, 42, of Oxnard, who was sitting in a nearby doughnut shop when he heard the gunshots.

“How do people get to be so stupid? If they give you a choice to stop, why not take it?”