Pursuit suspects crash into Metro bus near downtown L.A.; 3 hospitalized

Burglary suspects fleeing Los Angeles police crashed into a Metro bus near downtown L.A. on Friday, sending three people to the hospital, authorities said. Officers requested backup just before noon near Miramar Street and Huntley Drive after encountering burglary suspects, according to Officer Cervantes with the Los Angeles Police Department’s Media Relations Division. Minutes later, the suspects slammed their vehicle into an MTA bus traveling eastbound at the intersection of 6th Street and Bixel Street, bringing the pursuit to an abrupt end. The Los Angeles Fire Department responded at 11:56 a.m. to the crash involving a vehicle being pursued by LAPD. Two people inside the suspect’s car were injured and taken to the hospital, as well as one passenger on the bus, a Metro spokesperson said. Six others, including the bus operator, suffered minor injuries. Footage from Sky5 and the Citizen App showed a silver SUV with heavy front-end damage stopped in the intersection, debris scattered across the roadway and the orange Metro bus halted nearby with its doors open as officers secured the scene. LAPD said officers took all suspects into custody. Authorities have not released additional details about the burglary investigation or the suspects’ identities. In a statement, Metro said it "extends its wishes for a speedy recovery to all those injured and thanks the Los Angeles Police and Fire Departments for their assistance." Nidia Becerra, Rich Prickett and Luis Zuniga contributed to this report.