Suspect Attempts to Elude Police by Hiding in a Storm Drain

LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT
PRESS RELEASE
Wednesday, May 3, 2000

"Suspect Attempts to Elude Police by Hiding in a Storm Drain"

Highland Park – On Wednesday, May 3, 2000, at approximately 2:35 pm, Northeast Area Uniformed Officers responded to a radio call regarding the report of a man with a gun. Officers received information that the suspect was leaving the 1800 block of Upperton Avenue in a white Mustang.

As the officers were approaching the area they observed the white Mustang leaving the area. The officers negotiated a u-turn in order to stop the vehicle and conduct an investigation. As the officers began following the vehicle, the suspect made an abrupt stop and exited his vehicle. The suspect inquired as to why he was being stopped and then returned to his vehicle and drove away at a high rate of speed. The officers initiated a pursuit of the suspects vehicle and then lost sight of the vehicle in the area of Cypress Avenue and Figueroa Street. Officers received information from residents and secondary police units in the area as to the location of the suspect vehicle. Officers responded to the location and observed the suspect and a female passenger running from the white Mustang. The female was quickly taken into custody, but the male was able to elude officers.

The suspect continued to flee and entered the Arroyo Seco storm wash. The officers chased the suspect as he concealed himself behind a freeway support pillar. As the officers approached the suspect he pointed a handgun at an officer who was in pursuit. The officer then took cover out of fear of being shot at by the suspect. The suspect then continued to flee in the storm wash, ran to and then climbed into a storm drain that leads into the wash. The suspect remained in the storm drain for several hours, refusing officers demands to exit and surrender to arrest. The suspect continued to move around inside the storm drain until officers were able to box him in. SWAT officers who had responded to the location were able to isolate the suspect at one point and utilize less than lethal force on the suspect and temporarily immobilize him. The suspect was then taken into custody without further incident.

The suspect, who is currently on parole for making terrorist threats, was booked for Assault with a Deadly Weapon on a Police Officer. During a search of the suspects vehicle, a loaded firearm was recovered. The female passenger was questioned and released from Northeast Station. The suspect has been identified as Shawn Jackson.

For Release 5:00 pm PDT
May 3, 2000