Suspect Shot After Allegedly Firing At Long Beach Police Officers

Suspect Shot After Allegedly Firing At Long Beach Police Officers

by Contributing Editor

Photo by John Schreiber.

A 21-year-old Long Beach man who ran from police and allegedly opened fire on pursuing officers was wounded in an officer-involved shooting and hospitalized Tuesday morning in critical condition with stable vital signs.

Officers were dispatched to Martin Luther King Jr. Park regarding a report of gunfire about 2 p.m. Monday, but did not locate anyone involved in the reported shooting at the park and began searching the area for any suspects or victims, according to the Long Beach Police Department.

Officers observed the suspect on a bicycle in the 1200 block of East Leigh Court, near Orange Avenue, Officer Emily Garcia said.

The suspect, identified as Robert Welch, ditched the bike and ran off. At some point in the foot pursuit police said he fired at pursuing officers, one of whom returned fire striking Welch in the upper body, police said.

Long Beach Fire Department paramedics took Welch to a hospital.

A firearm was retrieved from the area, Garcia said.

Anyone with information about the shooting was encouraged to contact homicide detectives Michael Hubbard and Leticia Gamboa at 562-570-7244. Those wishing to report anonymously can call 800-222-TIPS.

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All credit goes to Contributing Editor
Originally published on https://mynewsla.com