SerpApi.Org
A domestic violence suspect is dead after a chase ended with a violent crash and a police shooting in a residential Simi Valley neighborhood on Tuesday.
AIR7 flew above the scene on Dusan Street, where a motorcycle was on its side, with a helmet lying nearby. Video also shows a white pickup truck with front-end damage and with apparent bullet holes in the windshield. A body was seen covered in a white sheet on the ground outside of the pickup truck.
According to Simi Valley police, officers responded to the 2500 block of Dusan Street around 8:15 a.m. in response to a reported domestic violence incident.
Police learned the suspect in the incident, a 37-year-old Simi Valley resident, fled the location before officers arrived. After a preliminary investigation, police determined there was probable cause to arrest the man for domestic battery and elder abuse.
During the investigation, police learned that the suspect was reportedly armed and, before fleeing the residence, allegedly said he would "shoot it out" with officers if the police were called, according to the department.
A few hours later, at approximately 1:35 p.m., officers spotted the suspect driving near the Simi Valley Town Center. They attempted to stop him, but the suspect took off, sparking a chase, according to police.
The chase continued through Simi Valley and ultimately ended in a crash back near the 2500 block of Dusan Street, where an officer-involved shooting occurred, the department said. The man was pronounced dead at the scene, and no officers were injured.
Video obtained by Eyewitness News shows the motorcycle being followed closely by the white pickup truck right before a violent crash. Police officers, who were right behind the two vehicles, then jump out of their patrol units and aim their guns at the pickup truck, firing shots.
"I was sitting in the house, heard a bunch of sirens and came outside to see, because the only thing on my phone was the carbon monoxide, and all of a sudden, I see this cop car come from down that street, swing around down Fitzgerald to the left, and then all of a sudden, all I heard was 'pop, pop, pop, pop, pop," a neighbor said. "Then I grabbed my daughter, ran back inside, and as I was running back inside, I heard a few more pops."
The investigation into the deadly shooting is ongoing. The Simi Valley Police Department and the Ventura County District Attorney's Office will conduct the criminal investigation. The department's Professional Standards Bureau will conduct a separate administrative investigation. Per department policy, all involved officers will be placed on administrative leave until further notice, police said.
Anyone with information regarding the original domestic violence incident or the events that followed is encouraged to contact the Simi Valley Police Department Major Crimes Unit at (805) 583-6950.
