LBPD Pursuit Starts In NLB, Travels At High Speeds For Roughly 50 Minutes On 91, 710, 105 and 605 And Surface Streets (North of LB), Ends In Bellflower With Officer-Involved Shooting; Driver/Suspect Dead, Passenger/Suspect Arrested, Handgun Tossed From Vehicle Recovered

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(April 25, 2017) -- An LBPD pursuit began in North Long Beach (area Artesia Blvd/Paramount Blvd.) with a "Lojack" stolen vehicle-signal, traveled at high speeds for nearly 50 minutes in the 6 a.m. hour on the 91, 710, 105, 605 freeways and surface streets (north of LB) before thd driver turned onto a dead-end street in Bellflower, allegedly drove the vehicle toward officers and an officer-involved shooting occurred. The driver/suspect is dead and a passenger/suspect in the allegedly stolen vehicle is arrested; they're twenty-year old men from Paramount.

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LBPD says that during the pursuit, a handgun (photo below) was thrown out of the vehicle and recovered in the area of Lakewood Blvd./Rosecrans Ave.

LBPD released image

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In a release, LBPD states:

[LBPD release text] On April 25, 2017 at approx. 5:55 a.m., officers were in the area of Paramount Blvd. and Artesia Blvd., when they received a Lo-Jack hit on a vehicle stolen out of Los Angeles. Officers were able to locate the stolen vehicle, a green 2000 Honda Accord, but before officers could attempt to conduct a traffic stop, the vehicle fled at a high rate of speed, and a vehicle pursuit was initiated.
The pursuit went on for approximately 50 minutes and travelled through multiple cities. During the pursuit, the driver travelled erratically and at high rates of speed. At one point during the pursuit a handgun was thrown out of the vehicle (pictured above), and recovered in the area of Lakewood Blvd. and Rosecrans Ave.
As the driver continued to flee, he entered a dead-end street while in the City of Bellflower. The suspect made a U-turn, then drove towards the officers at which point an officer involved shooting occurred, resulting in the male driver being struck by gunfire. Once the suspect was removed from the vehicle officers performed life saving measures until LA County Fire personnel arrived and took over. They then determined the suspect deceased at the scene after administering additional medical aid. No officers were injured.
A second male adult suspect who was the passenger in the vehicle was taken into custody and was not injured.
Homicide detectives responded and are conducting their investigation. The LA County District Attorney's office also responded and will conduct an independent investigation as they do in all officer involved shootings that result in injury.
The suspect (driver) has been identified as Juan Manuel Avilla, a 20 year-old resident of Paramount.
The second suspect and passenger has been identified as 20 year-old David Anthony Luera of Paramount. He has been booked into the Long Beach Jail for ex-felon in possession of a firearm and being in possession of a stolen vehicle, he is being held on $35,000.00 bail.
Anyone with information regarding the officer involved shooting is urged to contact Homicide Detectives at (562) 570-7244. Anonymous tips may be submitted through "LA Crime Stoppers" by calling 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), downloading the "P3 Tips" app to your smart phone (available at the Apple App store and Google Play), or visiting http://www.lacrimestoppers.org/

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