A man walking to his car near East Nees Avenue and North First Street found himself staring down a gun, according to Fresno police, in an armed carjacking that ended hours later with a crash in downtown Fresno and two minors in handcuffs. Police said officers were dispatched to the area after the victim reported that two minors approached him, one of them armed, and took off in his vehicle.
According to the victim's account to police, as reported by ABC30 Fresno, one of the two minors pulled out a gun and demanded his belongings as he headed toward his car. The victim emptied his pockets and ran from the area, and investigators say the minors then stole his vehicle and drove off.
License Plate Reader Leads Police to the Stolen Car
Officers were alerted to the stolen vehicle's location by an automated license plate reader, the outlet's report notes, which led them to the car near Belmont and Helm avenues. When officers attempted to pull the vehicle over, a chase began, with a Fresno Police helicopter tracking the car from above as it fled.
The pursuit ended when the vehicle crashed at Fulton and Fresno streets in downtown Fresno, per the same account. Three suspects ran from the wrecked car, and police say the two responsible for the armed carjacking were taken into custody at the scene. Both were booked into the Fresno County Juvenile Justice Campus.
Not the First Time a Fresno Carjacking Has Ended in a Crash
Fresno has seen carjackings unravel into dramatic street scenes before. Back in 2016, a man accused of carjacking at knifepoint crashed a stolen Toyota Corolla near downtown Fresno and was arrested, according to the Fresno Bee. In a separate case, a 17-year-old suspect was shot by police after crashing a stolen car and running from the wreckage with a handgun, ABC30 reported at the time.
The circumstances of Wednesday's crash, including any injuries or the extent of the damage, have not been detailed by police. It also remains unclear whether the third person who fled the scene has been identified or arrested. Only the two minors accused of the carjacking itself have been confirmed taken into custody and booked.
