West Covina police shoot suspect following short pursuit

LA PUENTE, Calif. (KABC) -- A West Covina Police Department officer nonlethally shot a robbery suspect following a short vehicle pursuit that ended in La Puente late Monday night.

At approximately 11:30 p.m., the patrol officer observed a speeding vehicle that was believed to be involved in a robbery that had just occurred.

When the officer attempted to conduct a traffic stop, the suspect and an additional passenger failed to yield and a chase ensued for about 60 seconds before the vehicle crashed into the center median at Hacienda Boulevard and Maplegrove Street in La Puente.

The suspect then exited the vehicle and fled onto Sandy Hook Avenue with the officer in pursuit.

Near the 1300 block of Sandy Hook Avenue is where the shooting occurred as the officer took the suspect - who suffered a non-life-threatening wound to the upper torso -- into custody.

The officer was not injured during the altercation.

Authorities later discovered that the suspect was not involved in the original robbery, but that he was driving a stolen vehicle.