1 Dead, 1 Arrested After Officer-Involved Shooting In Lemon Grove

LEMON GROVE, CA – Four law enforcement officers from three agencies fired Thursday morning on a man who had fired at them, killing him in a Lemon Grove neighborhood following a chase that began in La Mesa, authorities said.

The shooting involved two La Mesa police officers, one San Diego police officer and a San Diego County sheriff's deputy, sheriff's Lt. Kenn Nelson said. It wasn't immediately clear how many rounds were fired or how many shots struck the suspect.

One other suspect in the chase was arrested, and police were still searching for a third man after 6 a.m. Thursday.

The chase began about 1:20 a.m. when La Mesa police officers spotted a suspicious car stopped at a green light near Fletcher Parkway and Baltimore Drive, Nelson said. Police approaching the car heard a scream before the car sped away.

La Mesa police were joined by sheriff's deputies and San Diego police as the high-speed pursuit wound through La Mesa and Spring Valley before ending in Lemon Grove just blocks north of Mount Miguel High School on Rebecca Way, Nelson said.

Three men fled from the car on foot, including at least one who had a gun, Nelson said. Officers used a police dog to try to subdue that man, but after the dog bit him, the suspect opened fire. That's when the law enforcement officers returned fire, Nelson said. Another suspect was arrested at the scene, and the third escaped.

Officers and deputies set up a perimeter in the area and were scouring backyards looking for the man, who was still at large after 6 a.m. and described as wearing white clothing. Police did not know if he was armed but said he could be dangerous, and asked anyone with information on his whereabouts to call 911.

By City News Service / Image via Shutterstock