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A man wanted by authorities for a month-long crime spree that allegedly includes robbery, attempted murder and murder has been shot by police on the 5 freeway.
The chase came to an end on the northbound side of the 5 freeway in Sun Valley around 3:30 p.m., right by the Glenoaks Boulevard offramp. According to ABC 7, police chased Artyom Gasparyan going the wrong way on the freeway before he crashed into multiple cars. Gasparyan was then wounded after being shot by an officer, and an ambulance was called to the scene. KTLA reports that the chase began around 2:10 p.m. on the 8300 block of Foothill Boulevard.Gasparyan is wanted for an alleged month-long crime spree that began on December 6, including the shooting of a Burbank man and gardener on December 9 and a road rage killing last Wednesday in Panorama City. His most recent crime was a carjacking in Carson on January 1, according to the LAPD.
His suspected accomplice, Daniel Ramirez, died on Saturday evening after shooting himself in the head after a Friday carjacking that turned into a pursuit. Ramirez also allegedly shot two people and stabbed another before turning the gun on himself.
Both directions of the 5 freeway have been closed at the scene of the shooting as police continue their investigation. Northbound traffic is being diverted on the 134 freeway, while southbound is being diverted onto the 170 freeway. Officials say it could be hours before the road is reopened.
SIGALERT UPDATE: NB I5 AT SR134 // SB I-5 AT CA170, ALL LANES BLOCKED FOR BOTH DIRECTIONS UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE DUE TO POLICE ACTIVITY
— CHP PIO - LA County (@CHPsouthern) January 5, 2016
All SB I-5 traffic diverted to SR-170 due to police activity on I-5. NB I-5 traffic diverted to SR-134. pic.twitter.com/rNAjhlBENX
— CHP - West Valley (@CHPWestValley) January 5, 2016
As you can imagine, traffic is already starting to get pretty bad:
Shot of 5 freeway shutdown both directions, suspect pursuit ends. @FOXLA pic.twitter.com/iC36mWpqpe
— Victoria Spilabotte (@VictoriaFOXLA) January 5, 2016
Whoa. Take a look at the back up on 5 freeway after a police pursuit ends in a shooting. Sun Valley, major delays pic.twitter.com/54XmXv7Xwp
— Christine Devine (@DevineNews) January 5, 2016
Sun Valley 5 N&S CLOSED! Pursuit crash officer involved shooting no officers hurt suspect transported @KNX1070 pic.twitter.com/uud6rsC6Bc
— stu mundel (@Stu_Mundel) January 4, 2016
5 freeway closed after officer involved shooting. Not very often a So Cal freeway looks like this at 5pm. @NBCLA pic.twitter.com/6M4q0lBJUB
— Kenny Holmes (@KHOLMESlive) January 5, 2016
