Five random shootings by the same man occurred in Los Angeles County in the early hours of Tuesday.
Carlos Lopez, a 50-year-old from Los Angeles, was identified as the shooter.
The first shooting was around 12:55 a.m. Los Angeles Police Department responded to Figueroa Street and Exposition Boulevard and found a 43-year-old adult male who was shot and sustained a grazed gunshot wound to his head.
“The victim is expected to survive his injuries,” Los Angeles Police Department Public Information Officer in the Media Relations Division, Officer Rosario Cervantes said.
The second shooting occurred at 1:05 a.m. near Figueroa and 28th Streets at a Starbuck Drive-Thru.
The Los Angles County Coroner identified the victim as 24-year-old Alex Carbajal. He was a newlywed shot in front of his wife in their blue Ford Mustang. Carbajal sustained several gunshot wounds.
“He was pronounced dead at the scene,” Cervantes said.
The third shooting happened at 1:25 a.m. on Figueroa and 7th Streets. The Los Angeles County Coroner identified the victim as 42-year-old Mingzhi Zhu. He was stopped at a red light and was shot several times by Lopez.
“The male was pronounced dead at the scene,” Cervantes said.
In the fourth shooting, two vehicles stopped on the Maple Street exit ramp from the 10 freeway. The driver from white Jeep fired on the other. The victim was not hurt.
The fifth shooting occurred on the 10 freeway. Seth Jones was driving to work. The suspect fired a single shot into the white Tesla, shattering a back window. The victim sustained no injuries.
Lopez took the police on a lengthy high-speed pursuit throughout different freeways that lasted hours. Spike strips took out the Jeep’s tires, disabling the vehicle. The SUV came to a stop on the 91 Freeway.
A standoff took place when Lopez refused to cooperate with authorities.
“SWAT responded to the barricaded suspect, which he barricaded himself on the 91 freeway on the Raymond over the path in Fullerton. The suspect fired a weapon at the officers, and that resulted in an officer-involved shooting,” Cervantes said.
The suspect was declared dead on the scene. Traffic backed up for miles. Local law enforcement agencies assisted in containing the dangerous situation.
“The officer-involved shooting involved Los Angeles Police Department. It was their pursuit at its termination. All of the activity was from LAPD. Fullerton Police were just there to assist with traffic closures,” Fullerton Police Department Public Information Officer, Cpl. Billy Phu said.
“Anaheim Police blocked the freeway and assisted with traffic. APD had no involvement with LAPD officer-involved shooting,” Anaheim Police Department Public Information Officer, Sgt. Shane Carringer said.
“Fullerton Police were just there to assist with traffic closures,” Phu said.
The SUV was towed from the freeway and westbound lanes reopened after 3 p.m.