BUENA PARK (CNS) – The California Highway Patrol is investigating a shooting involving officers after a multi-agency pursuit that began in Buena Park and ended in Oceanside on Interstate 5 early Saturday, causing a full shutdown of the freeway that lasted hours.
Buena Park police officers attempted to stop a gray 2005 Cadillac CTS for a traffic violation at about 12:47 a.m. Saturday near the intersection of La Palma Avenue and San Marino Drive, but the driver took off, prompting officers to begin a pursuit, according to the Buena Park Police Department and the CHP.
Officers turned the pursuit over to the CHP at 1:05 a.m., but kept their K-9 Unit involved in the chase at the request of the CHP, BPPD Sgt. Martin Tomsick told City News Service.
The multi-county pursuit traversed several freeways for more than an hour before entering the Oceanside CHP jurisdiction, where officers used legal intervention to stop the suspect vehicle on southbound I-5, according to CHP Sgt. Omar Morales.
“The driver, armed with a handgun, exited the vehicle and fled on foot,” he said.
With a full freeway closure in place for several hours, the suspect remained in a large brush area on the freeway median between the northbound and southbound lanes of I-5, north of Harbor Drive, according to Morales. Despite repeated commands from CHP and Buena Park PD officers, the suspect refused to surrender and remained uncooperative, the CHP said.
The San Diego County Sheriff’s Office dispatched aerial drones at 2:15 a.m. to assist with finding the suspect, according to SDSO Lt. Sean Gallagher.
Tomsick said a BPPD K-9 officer and at least one CHP officer fired their weapons at the suspect.
No officers were injured in the shooting.
“The suspect was taken into custody at approximately 7:40 a.m. and transported to a local hospital for treatment of major injuries,” Morales continued. “During their investigation, officers recovered an unserialized firearm, commonly referred to as a ghost gun, where the suspect was taken into custody.”
I-5 was closed in both directions and a Sigalert was issued shortly after 2:30 a.m. Saturday between Harbor Drive in Oceanside and Christianitos Road in San Clemente, according to the CHP.
All northbound and southbound lanes on I-5 through Camp Pendleton were opened by late afternoon Saturday.
The CHP Border Division Major Crimes Unit is investigating the shooting. Anyone who witnessed the incident was asked to contact CHP Border Division at 858-944-6300.
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