An armed robbery suspect was fatally shot by Anaheim police after a vehicle and helicopter pursuit in Santa Ana and Wednesday the Orange County District Attorney’s office opened an investigation into the shooting.
The suspect was seen by police driving a stolen vehicle around 5 p.m. Tuesday in Santa Ana and when two Anaheim police patrol vehicles attempted to stop him, the suspect drove away and a police pursuit began, said Sgt. Shane Carringer of the Anaheim Police Department.
An Anaheim police helicopter joined the pursuit along with Santa Ana police and the suspect’s vehicle became disabled in a construction area near Santa Ana Boulevard and Bristol Street, where police attempted to negotiate a surrender with the suspect, Carringer said.
Police negotiators spent three hours trying to negotiate with the suspect before SWAT personnel from Anaheim PD took over. They worked for over an hour to convince the suspect to surrender, but the man refused.
Just before 10 p.m. officers used chemical agents to draw the suspect out of his vehicle and, after he stepped out, a police officer shot him. Carringer said only Anaheim police were involved in the shooting.
The suspect was pronounced dead at the scene and no officers were injured, police said.
Police did not release the name of the man who was fatally shot, pending notification of next of kin.
Santa Ana Police will be assisting the district attorney’s office with the investigation.