One suspect was arrested and another stuck on a platform underneath the Long Beach International Gateway Bridge Monday morning, Sept. 30, after they unsuccessfully attempted to burglarize a Wilmington pharmacy and led police on a short pursuit, authorities said. Other suspects may have jumped off of the bridge into the water below, said Officer Norma Eisenman, a Los Angeles Police Department spokeswoman.
Officers had been called to the 200 block of East Anaheim Street about 4:20 a.m. and saw six to eight males attempting to break into the closed business by using a chainsaw to cut at the door, Eisenman said.
The suspects did not get inside, instead jumping into a white Mercedes-Benz with no license plates and leading police on a short pursuit before stopping on the bridge, Eisenman said. One man jumped from the bridge onto a platform below and was stuck underneath the bridge in some fashion, Eisenman said. Police closed the bridge and SWAT officers were called in to try to get the suspect.
A shutdown of the eastbound bridge lanes was requested just before 6:20 a.m., according to the California Highway Patrol.
The pharmacy owner told KNX News an assistant saw the suspects attempting to burglarize the business on a security camera and called police, adding that one of the suspects jumped into the trunk of the car. This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
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