Female Suspect Shot After Stolen Van Hits Police Car

Police officers shot and gravely wounded a woman who allegedly rammed a stolen vehicle unto an unmarked police car in front of a liquor store here Friday.

Sgt. John Avila said police got word around 10:30 a.m. that a reported stolen vehicle was en route from Riverside County.

Officers went to a strip mall parking lot at Ball Road and Moody Street to search for the white Chevrolet van but left after finding nothing.

About 11 a.m., police again received information that the van was in the area. This time, an unmarked police car located the van parked in front of a liquor store near Ball and Moody. Additional units were called to seal off the area.

When the unidentified suspect entered the van to leave the parking lot, police cars moved in to make an arrest. The driver allegedly backed up the van and rammed into the front of the unmarked car blocking the van’s exit.

“The driver wouldn’t stop accelerating backward,” Avila said.

The woman was then fired on by officers while still in the van, he said. She was shot an unknown number of times.

She was taken into custody and treated by paramedics at the scene before being transported to Los Alamitos Medical Center, Avila said. The woman was listed in grave condition and was on a respirator, Avila said.

No officers were injured.