Police conducted a manhunt on the west side Wednesday night to locate a suspect in a stolen car case that might turn into part of a shooting case.
The incident took place around 8 p.m.
Here’s what happened, according to Assistant Police Chief Karl Jacobson:
A plainclothes detective spotted a stolen car that is believed to be connected to a shooting that took place last week. The detective began following the car. Before the siren was activated, the driver noticed, and hopped out of the car along with at least one other occupant. They took off running.
A stolen car case would not then have normally prompted a massive response. But because of the suspected connection to the shooting, dozens of cops flooded the upper Westville, Amity, and West Hills area looking for the fleeing occupants.
Eventually officers found one of the suspects hiding underneath a car on South Genessee Street. The man said he had injured himself while fleeing and hiding. He was taken to the hospital.
Officers subsequently found drugs in the ditched vehicle. Police are preparing an arrest warrant for the individual based on that discovery.
Meanwhile, the car is being processed for evidence. “We believe it matches” the car involved the previous shooting, Jacobson said.