KCAL9 Goes Inside Armored SUVs Used To End Last Week's Taxi Pursuit
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — The LAPD halted a 2-hour pursuit of an armed carjacking suspect on Friday using an armored SUV and a PIT maneuver.
CBS2/KCAL9's Kristine Lazar went inside the three bulletproof SWAT vehicles used to bring the chase to a peaceful end.
Police say they needed to act quickly when the armed suspect started making contact with bystanders, giving out cash and high-fives.
"The suspect was an armed suspect that was driving around 1:30, 2 o'clock in the afternoon, specifically when schools were getting out, putting a lot of people at risk," LAPD Commanding Officer Edward Prokop said.
Officer Howard Ing was behind the wheel of the armored Ford Excursion that performed the move: "Obviously, you feel happy that it was successful, but, at that moment that it happened, I still had other things to do."
Another armored vehicle called "the bear" pinned the other side of the bright green Prius taxi cab.
The armored Ford Excursion's have been in the LAPD SWAT team for more than 10 years, but this is only the second time they've used it to perform a PIT maneuver during a chase.
The suspect in the Prius is in jail and faces carjacking, police evasion and reckless driving charges.
