LAPD officers shot an armed suspect on the 210 Freeway in Sylmar after he fled onto the freeway on foot and attempted to carjack a vehicle, shutting down westbound lanes during rush hour.
An armed suspect was shot by Los Angeles Police Department officers on the 210 Freeway in on Tuesday, May 5, after he fled onto the freeway on foot and attempted to carjack a vehicle. The incident shut down westbound lanes during the evening commute and caused a massive traffic backup across the San Fernando Valley.
According to the Los Angeles Police Department, narcotics enforcement officers were searching the 14000 block of Bledsoe Street for a man in his mid-20s who was wanted on a felony arrest warrant. Officers located the suspect, who then ran onto the westbound 210 Freeway while armed with a handgun.
"The suspect ignored officers' demands that he drop his weapon, leading police to open fire," the LAPD said in a statement.
The suspect was hit and fell to the ground next to his gun but continued to refuse to obey officers' orders. Police then deployed a 40-millimeter launcher that fires hard foam projectiles. After that, the suspect complied with commands.
He was transported to a hospital, treated, and cleared for booking. His weapon was recovered from the freeway and submitted for forensic analysis, police said.
The incident prompted the closure of the westbound 210 lanes at Polk Street, with traffic diverted to Maclay Street, according to the California Highway Patrol. The eastbound transition road from State Route 118 to the westbound 210 was also closed.
As of 8 p.m. Tuesday, lane closures remained in effect on the westbound 210 Freeway, according to Caltrans. Drivers were allowed to exit at Hubbard Street to avoid the incident, according to KTLA's Sky5 helicopter coverage.
No one besides the suspect was injured in the incident.
The LAPD's Narcotics Division requested backup for the situation after the initial call originated at 12:40 p.m., according to a department spokesperson.
The investigation centered around a large work pickup truck and a semi-truck underneath an overpass on the freeway, according to aerial footage from KTLA's Sky5.
This article was generated with AI assistance.