NEWPORT BEACH, CA – A cross-county high-speed chase ensued as police pursued suspects connected to a robbery that fatally ended in a hit-and-run at the Fashion Island Mall. The incident took place around 3:30 p.m. outside the Barnes and Noble store.
According to the Newport Police Department, preliminary investigations suggest a 68-year-old woman from New Zealand and her husband were the victims of the alleged robbery. The suspects reportedly then fled in a white car, striking and killing the woman in the process. Witnesses recount that the perpetrators opened fire while driving off from the scene.
The incident has invoked a deep sense of dread and anger in the city officials and locals, with the Mayor of Newport Beach, Will O’Neill, expressing his disgust over the incident.
First responders from the Newport Beach Fire Department reported finding a deceased individual in the parking lot just outside the Barnes and Noble store in the shopping complex following distress calls about the shooting.
Witness accounts of the event depict a scene of panic and devastation. Multiple local witnesses recall hearing three to four gunshots before seeking safety. Shoppers were taken aback by the saddening turn of events.
Authorities initiated a pursuit of the subjects shortly after the shooting, which crossed over to Los Angeles County. During the chase, a pair of suspects reportedly jumped out of the car near Los Alamitos. Two more subjects were seen abandoning the vehicle following an exit off the westbound 105 Freeway, evading authorities around a neighborhood in South Gate. However, one of them was later discovered hiding behind trash cans.
Three individuals linked to the incident, including the suspect found in South Gate, have been arrested by the police. The victim, initially believed to be 69 years old, was later identified as a 68-year-old woman from New Zealand.