LOS ANGELES (AP) -- A police officer and a suspect were killed in a shootout, and a second suspect then led officers on a chase that ended with another gunbattle in front of frightened travelers at Los Angeles International Airport.
The confrontation started when two officers witnessed a drive-by shooting in which one person was killed in Culver City late Sunday, said Officer Barbara Carranza.
The officers chased two suspects to a shopping mall where the two sides exchanged gunshots. The mall was closed for the night. "Apparently, from the number of casings at the scene, there was a significant amount of gunfire,'' Police Chief Bernard C. Parks told reporters.
Officer Brian Brown, 27, was shot in the head and died later at UCLA Medical Center. One of the suspects died at the scene.
The second suspect carjacked a taxi, pushing out the driver, who was not harmed, Carranza said.
With police in pursuit, the suspect drove about 5 miles to the airport, where he rammed several cars parked at the curb of a terminal used by Southwest Airlines and ran from the car. Police opened fire at the fleeing suspect, hitting him at least four times while travelers ran for cover, witnesses said.
That suspect was in stable condition at UCLA Medical Center after undergoing surgery, Parks said. No other injuries were reported, Carranza said. A section of the terminal was closed until about 6 a.m. today while police investigated.
Copyright 1998 Daily News Los Angeles 11/30/98
Reprinted with permission.
