Jul 23, 2009 1:29 pm US/Eastern
Wild Chase Puts Wash. Heights Residents On Edge
Wild Chase Ends In Shootout With Robbery Suspects; Police Shoot Man Dead, Arrest
Reporting
Jay Dow
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
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Suspects led police on a wild car chase through Washington Heights, which ended with one suspect shot and killed and other suspects arrested on July 22, 2009.
CBS
An incredibly chaotic night that ended in a deadly shooting in Washington Heights has many local residents concerned for their safety.
Around 8 p.m. on Wednesday, a man reported to police that he had been robbed at gunpoint by four men. The man pointed out to the police the alleged robbers who were in a nearby Cadillac.
Police said when they approached the vehicle; the suspects sped off and struck a motorcyclist a few blocks away on 188th Street. The men tried to pull free of the wrecked motorcycle, only to hit a woman walking down the block and several parked cars.
That's when two plain-clothed officers approached the crashed Cadillac and identified themselves before they fired into the vehicle, killing the suspect behind the wheel.
Police insisted their badges were visible and that they identified themselves before they fired their weapons.
The wild scene shocked resident Sylvia Cardona who's spent her entire life in Washington Heights.
"I saw a lot of police officers. I saw some cars on the sidewalk," Cardona told CBS 2.
Cardona now fears just going out in a once quiet neighborhood.
"Now, I'm afraid to walk my dogs at night and I shouldn't be afraid, but I am," she said.
Washington Heights resident Arelia Rodriguez was in her room when she heard the loud disruption.
"I thought it was firecrackers, and it turned out to be gunshots," Rodriguez said.
The dust may have settled on 188th Street, but for many residents, the hard work has just begun. They woke up Thursday morning to find not only police incident report sheets on their windshield, but major damage to their vehicles.
"My car is damaged, and I don't think anyone is going to be responsible so I just want to get some answers from somebody," Jose Valdez told CBS 2.
Given what happened last night, residents fear answers may be just as elusive as peace of mind.
The three other suspects were taken into custody while the motorcyclist, the pedestrian who was struck, and two police officers all suffered various, non-life threatening injuries.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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