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A series of three drive-by shootings between USC and downtown Los Angeles ended early this morning in Orange County, and left three men dead, including the suspected gunman.
The LAPD says officers responded to the first shooting just before 1 a.m. near Figueroa and Exposition, where a man was grazed in the head by a bullet.
The suspect then drove up separately to two other drivers along Figueroa, fatally shooting them both.
LAPD spokesman Raul Jovel says that's when officers chased the suspect all the way to Fullerton, where police spike strips stopped his white Jeep Cherokee on the westbound 91 freeway.
SWAT officers were then called in to negotiate with the man after he refused to surrender, and used tear gas to try to get him out.
"They tried to have the suspect talk to a family member, that was unsuccessful,” Jovel said. “At one point the suspect fired at the officers, resulted in an officer involved shooting. The suspect was hit by gunfire and was pronounced dead at scene."
Robbery Homicide Division personnel will be responsible for handling the criminal investigations and Force Investigation Division will conduct the OIS Invesigation. pic.twitter.com/BAdGLXvYwF
— LAPD HQ (@LAPDHQ) April 27, 2021
Police have not publicly identified the driver, though investigators are speaking to members of his family to try to determine what may have led to the shootings.
We will update this story as more information comes in.
