Police Shootout Shuts Down 101 Freeway For Nearly 10 Hours

HOLLYWOOD, CA — A high speed chase ended with and exchange of gunfire on the Hollywood (101) Freeway Sunday. The dramatic chase shut down the southbound side of the freeway for almost seven hours.

Officers were chasing a black Range Rover when the suspect got out of the freeway on the southbound side firing at officers with a handgun. They fired back, grazing the suspect in the neck. He was able to flee on foot, according to Officer Mike Lopez of the Los Angeles Police Department's Media Relations Section. The Los Angeles Police Department set up a perimeter, eventually catching the wounded suspect near Romaine Street, Lopez said.

The shooting was reported at about 3:40 p.m. Sunday after the chase started on Western Avenue, south of Santa Monica Boulevard, Lopez said.

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The suspect was arrested within the perimeter and taken to a hospital for treatment of the graze wound, a desk officer at the LAPD's Department Operations Center said. The exact time of the arrest was not available.

The California Highway Patrol shut down all southbound lanes at Melrose Avenue while police searched for the suspect and the freeway was reopened at 10 p.m., the CHP said.

City News Service and Patch Staffer Paige Austin contributed to this report. Photo: Shutterstock