Anaheim police shot and killed a man on Wednesday night after a high-speed chase that ended with a crash on a bridge over the Santa Ana River. The incident began around 7:45 p.m. when officers responded to a shooting at a motel on North Brookhurst Street. The victim of that shooting was taken to a hospital and is in stable condition.
The suspect, who is believed to have been involved in the shooting, fled the scene in a white pickup truck, prompting a police pursuit. Officers chased the truck as it sped through intersections, collided with other vehicles, and even lost a tire at one point. The chase lasted nearly an hour and covered about eight miles.
As the suspect drove along the 91 Freeway and onto surface streets, police attempted to stop the vehicle multiple times but were unsuccessful. The pursuit concluded near West Memory Lane and North Bristol Street, where police executed a Precision Immobilization Technique (PIT) maneuver. This involved hitting the side of the truck to force it into a guardrail. After the impact, the truck bounced back and struck a bridge divider before coming to a stop.
As smoke billowed from the vehicle, officers surrounded it. At approximately 8:38 p.m., police opened fire on the driver, who was pronounced dead at the scene. A passenger in the truck surrendered to the police and was taken into custody. The identities of both the suspect and the shooting victim have not been released yet.
This incident adds to the ongoing discussions about police pursuits and the use of force in such situations, raising questions about safety and accountability in law enforcement practices.