Suspect in Los Angeles drive-by shootings killed by police

LOS ANGELES - A gunman, suspected of killing two and wounding another in a series of drive-by shooting incidents in Los Angeles, was killed by police Tuesday morning after about five hours' chase and exchange of fire.

According to Raul Jovel, an officer from the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD)'s Media Relations Division, the shooter's rampage occurred from 0:55 a.m. to 1:25 am local time, when he drove a white Jeep Cherokee and shot at three vehicles along a main street in Los Angeles downtown, killing two and injuring another.

LAPD then spot the car and the pursuit lasted for two hours until the jeep was stopped by spike strips deployed on 91 Freeway in the city of Fullerton, about 40 km southeast of Los Angeles downtown, Jovel said at a press briefing, adding the suspect shot outside the car window erratically when he was chased.

The suspect refused to cooperate with police even though his jeep was boxed in by armored vehicles on the freeway. He was killed by the Special Weapons And Tactics (SWAT) team from LAPD after an hours-long standoff.

Authorities did not make clear so far if the victims were targeted or if these were random attacks. Police were trying to determine if there were other crimes tied to the suspect.

"We are still trying to figure out why he shot people who were just driving their cars," said Jovel. "We don't have a motive yet."