Los Angeles: A suspect who had just shot and mortally wounded his ex-girlfriend, led police on a dangerous pursuit before being taken into custody, without incident, in the City of Corona.
On Wednesday, May 13, 2009 at around 12:05 p.m., Mission Area Patrol Officers were dispatched to a radio call of a shooting that had just occurred in the 8300 block of Van Nuys Boulevard. Officers found the victim, a female, Hispanic, 27-years-old, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.
Witnesses described seeing the suspect, a Black man, later identified as 27-year-old Jasper Stallings, force the victim into a red Dodge Ram pickup truck that was parked in the Rite-Aid parking lot in the 8400 block of Van Nuys Boulevard. They then heard gunfire as the truck drove away, across the parking lot. As the truck neared the 24-Hour Fitness Center the victim either fell, or was pushed out of the truck. Witnesses heard at least one additional gunshot.
Stallings drove away from the scene southbound through the parking lot, but not before witnesses were able to get the vehicle’s license plate number. Officers broadcast the license plate number over police frequencies. Two Detectives from North Hollywood Division believed the suspect might be headed to the 170 Freeway and waited nearby. When they saw the suspect’s vehicle enter the 170 Freeway, they began following it and requested black and white police vehicles to respond.
Once on scene, officers in the marked police cars attempted to pull the suspect over by activating their overhead lights and sirens. The suspect refused to stop and led police on a pursuit to the City of Corona, where he suddenly stopped and was taken into custody without incident.
During the investigation Detectives discovered that the truck Stallings was driving had been taken in a kidnapping/carjack incident that had occurred earlier in the day in Foothill Area, at about 3:30 a.m. The victim of that incident was forced at gunpoint to get into the passenger seat and was driven to the High Desert City of Victorville where he was robbed of his wallet and left at the side of the road, unharmed.
The shooting victim, whose identity is being withheld until her family can be notified, was pronounced dead at a local hospital at about 2:50 p.m.
Stallings was arrested for Murder and is being held without bail. He is facing additional charges including, domestic violence, kidnap, robbery, and carjacking.
Anyone with additional information is encouraged to contact LAPD Mission Detective Jim Freund at 818-838-9810. After hours and on weekends, calls may be directed to a 24-hour, toll-free number at1-877-LAPD-24-7 (527-3247). Callers may also text "Crimes" with a cell phone or log on to www.lapdonline.org and click on Web tips. When using a cell phone, all messages should begin with "LAPD." Tipsters may remain anonymous.