Police shoot, critically wound armed robbery suspect in Long Beach

LONG BEACH, Calif. - Long Beach police shot and critically wounded an armed robbery suspect that led them on a brief pursuit, authorities said Monday. 

The shooting occurred about 10:45 p.m. Sunday in the 1700 block of Harbor Avenue, according to the Long Beach Police Department.

The chain of events started in Signal Hill, a city surrounded by the city of Long Beach, according to Signal Hill police Sgt. A. Gabaldon.

The man was suspected of robbing a grocery store at gunpoint, according to Long Beach police Officer Ivan Garcia. The suspect then fled as Signal Hill police arrived at the robbery scene.

Signal Hill police lost sight of the silver sedan in the area of Willow Street and Atlantic Avenue, Garcia said. They provided information about the robbery and pursuit to Long Beach police.

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The suspect crashed the car into another vehicle at Harbor Avenue and Pacific Coast Highway and arriving officers recognized the car, he said.

"The driver of the vehicle had fled the scene on foot and a community member in the area pointed out the driver to officers," Garcia said. "Officers contacted the driver, who was armed with a firearm, and an officer-involved shooting occurred."

The suspect was taken by paramedics to a hospital where he was in critical condition, Garcia said. No officers were injured and a loaded firearm was recovered at the scene.

The suspect's name has not been released.

Meanwhile, the California Highway Patrol issued a SigAlert at 12:01 a.m., closing the eastbound and westbound Pacific Coast Highway off-ramps from the southbound 710 Freeway.

The officers who located the suspect were assigned to combat the recent spike in violent crime in Long Beach, Garcia said.