Cameraman approaches suspected armed driver in LAPD pursuit
A cameraman approached a suspected armed driver stopped at an intersection during a pursuit with Los Angeles police officers Wednesday.
The driver was stopped on a busy street and surrounded by other vehicles just before 11 a.m. when the cameraman walked up to the white minivan. The cameraman approached the driver’s side window, but the motorist did not roll down his window and continued driving instead. The cameraman did not appear to be hurt.
“That guy’s got guts,” said Officer Mike Lopez, a spokesman for the Los Angeles Police Department.
The chase started about 10:04 a.m. at Chandler Boulevard and Tujunga Avenue in North Hollywood when the driver told officers he had a gun, Lopez said.
The man then hopped into the minivan and drove away, he said. Police tried to stop the man, but he continued driving.
Officers followed the man through North Hollywood, Woodland Hills, Van Nuys and Sherman Oaks.
At times, the driver teased officers and appeared to be surrendering. But after a few seconds, the man would continue driving.
By 11:20 a.m., the man finally stopped the minivan, slowly stepped out from the driver’s side, raised his arms and walked back toward a squad of officers.
Police descended on the man and took him into custody.
Twitter: VeronicaRochaLA
ALSO
Santa Monica shooting of armed man was ‘suicide by cop,’ authorities say
Phoenix man gets 30 years for helping plot Muhammad cartoon contest attack
High water releases are eroding the base of Lake Oroville’s spillway
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
