Officers shoot at vehicle during traffic stop in South L.A., but motorist speeds away

Two California Highway Patrol officers fired multiple shots at a vehicle they pulled over in South L.A. after the motorist appeared to drive toward the officers, officials said.

The officers pulled over a white Kia Optima just after 11 p.m. Monday on South Maple Avenue near Alondra Boulevard in Carson after observing it traveling at high speed, according to a CHP news release.

The car initially stopped and the two officers got out of their patrol vehicle to approach the driver, but then the motorist abruptly changed course.

“During the traffic stop, and while the officers were out of their patrol vehicle, the suspect proceeded to turn the Kia around and accelerated toward the two officers, causing one officer to fall on his back as he attempted to move out of the Kia’s way,” the release said.

The officers responded by firing multiple times at the Kia, officials said.

The officers attempted to follow the Kia east, but quickly lost it, the release said.

About 10 minutes later, officers located the Kia abandoned at West Cypress Street and South Aprilia Avenue, about a mile away in Compton. No suspect was found, the release said.

The officers were not injured. It wasn’t clear whether the driver was injured in the shooting, as the person has not yet been found, the release said.

It also wasn’t clear whether there were other people in the vehicle.

CHP spokesperson Chris Baldonado said both officers fired their weapons, but it wasn’t immediately known how many shots were fired.