After about eight hours, the lockdown at Cal State Fullerton ended just before midnight Wednesday as students were allowed to return home, authorities said.
Two suspected armed robbers who bolted through the campus after a high-speed chase remained at large, however, and authorities said a contingent of police officers would remain on campus. Classes will be held Thursday as normal, authorities said.
The fugitive and four others were involved in an armed robbery of a jewelry store earlier in the day in Moreno Valley, authorities said. They shot an employee of the store, then led police on a car chase that spanned four counties, officials said. After the suspects stopped at Cal State Fullerton, two of the men were captured, while two others ran away -- one reportedly dashing into Mihaylo Hall, officials said. The fifth was caught in Watts, after he carjacked a vehicle, they said.
All classes were canceled Wednesday evening and several nearby streets were shut down, including a stretch of the 57 Freeway nearby.
The condition of the clerk who was shot during the robbery was listed as critical.
Two of my acquaintances were on lockdown at CSUF. "Lockdown" is not just "don't leave the building." It's "whatever room you're in, stay there, lock the door, close the shades, and be as quiet as possible."
ReplyDeleteStudents stuck in classrooms for 8 hours were peeing into the trashcans.
On a happier note, the suspect caught in Watts thought he would be able to disappear into a crowd of families at a park. Turned out it was an LAPD event giving toys to kids, and the guy ran straight toward a crowd of 30 cops who'd been listening to the chase on their radios.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2012/12/car-jack-victim-affected-by-pursuit-college-lock-down-not-injured.html