A mid-morning police pursuit in East Los Angeles ended Wednesday with a heavily damaged black sedan boxed in on a northbound I-5 off-ramp, turning a crash into a tense standoff as officers surrounded the car with weapons drawn. The incident played out near 7th Street and Towne Avenue and quickly drew helicopter coverage as law enforcement converged on the scene. Officials released a few details at the moment, and it was not immediately clear whether anyone had been shot or injured.
According to CBS News Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Police Department said the pursuit began at about 9:48 a.m. in the area of 7th Street and Towne Avenue. Aerial footage showed a black sedan that appeared to be riddled with damage, including what looked like bullet holes in the front and rear windshields, although CBS News Los Angeles reported that it was unclear who, if anyone, had fired. Reporters on the ground also saw a person extend an arm out of a passenger window while officers kept their guns trained on the vehicle.
How often do pursuits end like this?
High-speed pursuits are hardly rare across Los Angeles, and they sometimes end in crashes or shootings. The Los Angeles Times reported that the LAPD logged more than 1,100 pursuits in 2024, with roughly 30 percent of them resulting in crashes. In response to those risks, police agencies have wrestled with pursuit policies that try to balance the danger to bystanders against the need to catch suspects. Some departments now limit when officers can initiate high-speed chases, which helps explain why, in situations like Wednesday’s, officers may opt to contain a vehicle and wait for specialized units rather than rushing straight in.
Investigations to follow
According to the Los Angeles Police Department, its Force Investigation Division is responsible for probing deadly-force incidents and other serious uses of force, with those cases later reviewed by oversight bodies. The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Justice System Integrity Division also typically conducts a parallel review of officer-involved shootings, as outlined in past DA memoranda. In a case like this, investigators are likely to collect video footage, witness statements, and forensic evidence while the department and prosecutors decide on the next steps.
As CBS News Los Angeles noted, no additional details had been released, and the LAPD had not confirmed any names or injuries as of early afternoon. We will update this story when officials provide more information. Drivers in the East L.A. area should expect lingering traffic delays while investigators and tow crews work to clear the off-ramp.
