Three men were arrested Tuesday afternoon after sparking a cross-county pursuit that started in Newport Beach, where they were suspected of killing an elderly woman during a robbery attempt at a shopping mall.
The violent series of events began after 3:30 p.m. when the three men, one from Cypress and two others from Los Angeles County, tried to rob the 68-year-old woman and her husband in front of Barnes & Noble.
“There was a struggle, and at which point, we believe the suspects dragged her into the street,” Sgt. Steven Oberon with the Newport Beach Police Department said.
As the suspected robbers tried to run away, two of them got into a white sedan while another took off on foot, firing his weapon “multiple” times.
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As the suspects’ car rushed to leave the scene, it struck the woman, killing her. She was identified Wednesday as a 68-year-old visitor from New Zealand.
‘To hell with these guys,” Mayor Will O'Neil of Newport Beach said. “They came into our city, knowing that they were going to commit crime, and a woman is dead today because of it.”
O’Neil also assured shoppers that robberies were not regular occurrences at the popular mall.
“Fashion Island does not experience crime like this, it just doesn't,” the mayor said. “I can guarantee you that our friends at Fashion Island are going to be stepping up their security, stepping up their approach to this.”
The group ended up traveling more than 30 miles from the Newport Beach mall and ended up in South Gate near Harding Avenue and Paramount Boulevard near the 105 Freeway.
Police said two of the suspects ditched their car in the South Gate neighborhood, became separated and started running. They were eventually taken into custody.
A third person was arrested in Cyprus, roughly halfway between South Gate and Newport
