Suspect Shot By CHP In Dana Point, Hides Out For Nearly 3 Hours
SANTA ANA (CBSLA) — Authorities say an investigation is underway after an officer-involved shooting occurred in Dana Point.
The incident occurred about 1:30 a.m. Sunday along the Pacific Coast Highway and Selva Road.
It was there that authorities say a California Highway Patrol officer sustained minor injuries that were unrelated to the shooting.
The officer was treated at a hospital and released.
Authorities said the suspect was taken into custody about two and a half hours after being shot. The suspect was wounded in the OIS but able to flee and hide until about 4 a.m. He was transported to a hospital for treatment.
The OC Sheriff's Department would only say the suspect was a male and the incident did not follow a pursuit. As of 8 p.m. Sunday, he remained hospitalized.
KCAL9's Greg Mills reported from the scene.
"The tracks in the soft dirt and a tree that was run over," he said, "are the only signs that it was a wild night on Selva Road."
He spoke to witnesses.
"I didn't realize how serious it was until later on. I didn't hear about the shooting until later on," said Paula Miller.
Jeff Long's wife woke him about around 1:30 this morning.
"Said there's cops everywhere. Said there's cars racing up and down, cop cars racing up and down," Long said.
A neighbor who didn't want to appear on camera said he went out to smoke a cigarette and saw the entire incident unfold.
Mills said the man was on his deck. He said he saw a police car go flying down the street. Next thing he knew, he heard gunshots. A lot of them. About a dozen in all.
For neighbor Long, there was just a little too much going on.
"It's a quiet town, Dana Point. A little too exciting for our little beach community I think," he said.