Teen Shot, Wounded By Officer In La Puente Following Pursuit, Crash Of Stolen Car
LA PUENTE (CBSLA) – An 18-year-old man driving a stolen vehicle was shot and wounded by a West Covina police officer following a pursuit and crash late Monday night in a La Puente neighborhood, authorities said.
The shooting occurred at 11:30 p.m. in the 1300 block of Sandy Hook Avenue.
According to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, the incident began when a West Covina police officer heard a call about a possible nearby robbery on his radio and then noticed an older Honda speeding by.
Thinking that the Honda may somehow be connected to the robbery, the officer attempted pull it over. However, when the suspect failed to stop, a short chase ensued.
The pursuit lasted about one minute before the suspect crashed into a center median on Hacienda Boulevard near Maplegrove Street, LASD reports.
The suspect then jumped out and ran. The officer gave chase, still in his patrol cruiser.
At some point, the officer shot the suspect while he was trying to detain him. The suspect was struck once in the upper torso. He was taken to a nearby hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. His name was not released. The officer was not hurt.
It was later determined that the suspect was not connected to the robbery, but was in fact driving a stolen vehicle, the sheriff's department said.
It is unclear if the officer fired on the suspect from the patrol vehicle or after he had exited the cruiser.
Sheriff's department detectives are investigating.