Group of burglary suspects in custody after search closes Long Beach bridge
The Long Beach International Gateway Bridge is back open after a pursuit connected to a series of crimes Monday morning closed it for several hours.
The crime spree began around 3 a.m. with a carjacking and kidnapping in the 1200 block of West 8th Street in Los Angeles. Los Angeles police said a suspect carjacked a white Mercedes SUV at the location. The driver was out of the car when the suspect got in, but a passenger was still inside. At some point, the passenger was able to escape.
Around 4 a.m. police responded to a burglary in progress at a pharmacy in the 200 block of E. Anaheim Street in Wilmington. Police spotted the same white SUV with about 11 suspects fleeing.
"It is believed the officers interrupted that burglary ... Don't know that they actually got any goods," Los Angeles Police Department Detective Meghan Aguilar said.
This led to a short police pursuit that ended near the International Gateway Bridge, near T Pier.
Initial reports said a death investigation was underway in the area of the bridge after police believed one of the suspects either jumped off or fell off the bridge in the dense fog. Hours later, Detective Aguilar said it didn't appear anyone jumped from the bridge and no one died.
Six were arrested for at least burglary and they were said to be a mix of juveniles and adults. The International Gateway Bridge reopened just before noon.