LA Carjacking Suspect Fatally Shot Live on KCAL

By Merrill Knox 

A high-speed chase being aired on KCAL last night took a tragic turn when the Los Angeles police shot and killed the driver, an armed carjacking suspect, on live television.

KCAL is an independent station in Los Angeles that is operated as a duopoly with CBS-owned KCBS. The station aired continuing coverage of the 30-minute car chase, anchored by Rick Garcia and Sharon Tay, beginning shortly after 7 p.m.

The chase came to a halt at a gas station in Koreatown around 7:30 p.m. As the LAPD surrounds the car and begins shooting, Garcia and Tay can be heard exclaiming, “Whoa, whoa, whoa!” (Video of the shooting is inside.)

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After the shots were fired, KCAL also showed the suspect’s body being removed from the car. Video of the shooting was shown several times on the station’s evening newscasts, sometimes in slow-motion.

While many of the comments on the station’s website were focused on LAPD’s actions, some viewers questioned KCAL’s reporting.

“I am sickened that the killing of that suspect was aired on live TV,” one commenter wrote. “…I wonder if there are any journalists at KCAL 9 who are up to the task of reporting this story in a non-sensational way.”

“I guess your ratings are down,” wrote another.

TVSpy has reached out to KCAL for comment. Watch KCAL’s coverage of the shooting here:

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