Violent Purse Snatching Turns Deadly In Garden Grove

GARDEN GROVE, CA — A 32-year-old woman who was robbed and then run over by a car at a shopping center at Brookhurst Boulevard and Westminster Avenue about 10 a.m. has died, a Garden Grove Police spokesperson said.

Lt. Carl Whitney of Garden Grove Police stated that the woman was walking with her sister in a strip mall parking lot when a car with three suspects inside pulled up alongside them.

"The woman struggled to hold on to the purse, and she was run over by the vehicle during the struggle," Whitney said.

The suspects drove away, leading to a pursuit that ended in South Los Angeles, where they bailed out of the vehicle and were taken into custody.

The detectives had earlier informed Garden Grove police that they were conducting surveillance and asked officers to avoid the area, Whitney said.

"Detectives recovered some evidence at the scene, and during the pursuit when they attempted to throw evidence onto the Garden Grove (22) Freeway," Whitney said.

Police briefly closed the roadway to conduct a search of what was thrown from the car.

Paramedics treating the victim "were doing CPR on her and were able to get her stabilized and into surgery," however Garden Grove fire officials said she ultimately succumbed to her injuries.

Police will pick up the suspects from Los Angeles County sheriff's investigators to book them in Garden Grove and place them in Orange County Jail, Whitney said.