LOS ANGELES COUNTY, CA — A police chase in Alhambra ended in tragedy early Thursday morning, leaving two people dead — including a police officer — and several others injured in the San Gabriel Valley.
The pursuit began around 3:00 a.m. near Valley Boulevard and Edgewood Drive. During the chase, a gray SUV being pursued by officers collided with a patrol vehicle, causing catastrophic damage. The SUV came to rest in a nearby parking lot following the impact.
Footage from the scene showed the patrol SUV with its passenger side crushed and airbags deployed. Witnesses reported that officers desperately tried to rescue an unconscious officer trapped in the wrecked patrol vehicle.
The officer was transported to Los Angeles General Medical Center in Boyle Heights, where he was later pronounced dead due to his injuries.
The violent crash also ejected two people from the fleeing SUV. A woman believed to be the driver was pronounced dead at the scene. Two additional passengers were taken to a nearby hospital — one in critical condition and the other with minor injuries.
Authorities are still investigating what triggered the police pursuit and are working to piece together the events leading up to the deadly collision.
