Skye Duncan | Lariat Photo Editor
By Skye Duncan
Photo Editor
The driver of a green Ford Expedition was shot and killed by police Wednesday afternoon after a car chase involving gunfire concluded near Lorena city limits.
The man was a suspect in multiple local armed robberies, including a robbery at a 7-11 in Woodway on Monday night, police said. Police did not expressly connect the suspect to any of the recent robberies near campus.
“He presented a threat to the officers and we had to use lethal force,” said Waco Police Sgt. W. Patrick Swanton.
No authorities or civilians were injured according to Waco Police.
Waco police saw the suspect in a vehicle, which was on a watch alert. Authorities tried to stop him in East Waco, but after he fled a pursuit along Interstate 35 began at about 12:28 p.m., said Texas Department of Public Safety Trooper D.L. Wilson.
Authorities said the suspect drove up to 85 mph while fleeing from police.
The suspect avoided road spikes deployed by different agencies, including the Lorena Police Department, several times before running into a ditch, police said. He then exited the vehicle, Swanton said, and presented a threat towards authorities.
Woodway public safety chief Yost Zakhary said he did not see the suspect with a weapon.
Authorities drew a 2-D map of the area to help in the investigation of the car chase and reduced the flow of traffic in order to contain the investigation. The suspect’s car was impounded by police for evidence.
At the time of publication Wednesday evening, the suspect’s name had not been released.
The Texas Rangers are continuing the investigation.
“It’ll take a little while,” Wilson said. “It’s not like CSI.”
Rachel Leland contributed reporting to this story.
