A foot chase in Pacific Palisades ended in the surf Thursday morning when a suspect ran onto Will Rogers State Beach, waded into the water and tried to swim away before officers took the person into custody. Beachgoers became unexpected spectators as lifeguards and police scrambled along the sand and in the shallows.
Video from the scene shows the suspect stepping into the waves while multiple responders close in. FOX 11 Los Angeles reported that the pursuit reached the shoreline in the morning hours and ended at Will Rogers State Beach with the arrest.
Lifeguards And Police Work The Surf
According to the Los Angeles County Department of Beaches & Harbors, county lifeguards and county fire personnel are the primary responders for water rescues at county beaches and regularly coordinate with law enforcement during shoreline incidents. That kind of joint response is meant to protect both the public and first responders when operations move into the water, where even routine calls can turn risky fast.
It Has Happened Before
Using the ocean as an escape route is a recurring, if ill-advised, tactic in Southern California. The Los Angeles Times documented a 2014 case in which a man waded into the surf at Will Rogers to avoid arrest. In a separate incident, ABC7 Los Angeles covered a 2024 pursuit that ended after a driver crashed into the ocean at Marina del Rey and then swam away.
FOX 11 Los Angeles did not include the suspect’s name or a list of charges in its report, and officials had not immediately released further details when that piece was posted. This story will be updated if local agencies provide additional information or issue a formal statement.
