LAGUNA HILLS, CA – A chaotic and deadly confrontation unfolded early Saturday morning outside an In-N-Out Burger, as a man wanted for a fatal carjacking engaged in a dramatic shootout with police. The suspect, identified as Andre Anthony Matijasevic, 31, was pursued by law enforcement across multiple counties before the violent clash erupted.
The incident began late Friday night in Carlsbad, approximately 43 miles south of Laguna Hills, where Matijasevic allegedly shot and killed a woman during a carjacking at an apartment complex near Legoland. Witnesses reported hearing multiple gunshots, followed by the wail of sirens as police responded to the scene. The victim was found dead, and her maroon Kia Sorrento was missing.
Just after midnight, a license plate reader in Laguna Beach detected the stolen vehicle, prompting local police to alert nearby departments. Newport Beach officers soon spotted the car and attempted a traffic stop, but Matijasevic refused to yield, leading to a high-speed chase involving multiple agencies.
The pursuit wound its way down Interstate 5, finally culminating at the In-N-Out on Avenida de la Carlota. Witnesses described the suspect positioning his car for a quick escape before opening fire on officers. Police from Newport Beach and Irvine returned gunfire, but Matijasevic continued to shoot even after being struck.
As the gunfire subsided, Matijasevic was taken into custody and transported to the hospital, where he later died from his injuries. Remarkably, no officers were harmed during the exchange. Authorities recovered a firearm from the scene, lying near the stolen vehicle.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Department is leading the investigation into the sequence of events that left the area scattered with evidence markers and bullet-riddled cars. Residents expressed shock at the violence in their normally peaceful community.
“It’s such a nice area,” one local remarked. “I’ve never seen anything like this. It’s wild.”
The San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Office has yet to release the identity of the female victim.