Long Beach Rite Aid robbery: 1 suspect killed, 1 hurt in officer-involved shooting

LONG BEACH, Calif. (KABC) -- An armed robbery at a Rite Aid store in Long Beach ended in a deadly officer-involved shooting early Wednesday morning. One suspect was killed, another was wounded and a third got away.

The incident happened at the store on San Antonio Drive near Atlantic Avenue. Officials said the three suspects entered the 24-hour Rite Aid around 1 a.m., wearing masks and carrying guns.

Police said when the suspects left the store, they robbed a woman outside, got into a Toyota Camry and then fled the scene. Responding officers chased the suspects into a nearby neighborhood.

"During the pursuit, the officers believed they were being fired at by the suspects. That's something that we'll determine throughout the investigation, whether or how that happened, although we did find casings to corroborate that account," said Chief Jim McDonnell with the Long Beach Police Department.

Two of the suspects were shot by police on the 4500 block of Cerritos Avenue. One died and the other was taken to the hospital with injuries to his lower body. He was listed in stable condition. The two officers involved in the shooting were not injured.

Area resident Dallas Swallow was awakened by the gunfire on his block, then he says he heard the chase come to an end.

A perimeter was set up to search for the third suspect, who was described as a black male, medium height, skinny, wearing a long-sleeve white shirt with a stripe on the bottom and baggy camouflage shorts.

"We have K-9 assets, SWAT patrol and air support conducting a systematic search to try and locate the outstanding suspect, who we believe to be armed," said McDonnell.

Swallow said the area has had burglaries in the past, but he's only heard gunshots off in the distance in other neighborhoods. Wednesday, he said they were too close to home.

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long beach, officer-involved shooting, los angeles news, melissa macbride

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