LAPD identifies attempted murder suspect who fled police; puppy thrown from vehicle unharmed

Police have identified the attempted murder suspect who led officers on a vehicle pursuit through South Los Angeles on Friday during which a puppy was thrown from the suspect’s moving vehicle.

Gustavo Alvarez, 27, of Los Angeles was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and carjacking, police said. He is being held without bail.

Police also identified two women arrested on suspicion of helping Alvarez evade officers: Lynette Moreno, 27, of Los Angeles and Michelle Zamudio, 25, of Santa Monica.

During the long chase, a dog was put in a designer bag and tossed from the suspect’s vehicle, police said. The dog was not harmed and is now in the care of South L.A. Animal Services, where it is being held pending the police investigation.

The pursuit started around noon Friday at 99th Street and Avalon Boulevard, police said. The suspect was wanted in connection to an attempted murder and carjacking that occurred on March 26, near the 101 Freeway and San Pedro Street, police said.

The chase continued near Los Angeles International Airport before heading back into South L.A., with the suspect’s pickup ramming into other vehicles, officials said.

At one point, the truck stopped in the middle of a roadway and the suspect and two women exited, with the man jumping into an SUV that sped off, footage from KTLA-TV Channel 5 showed.

Around 2 p.m., the SUV slowed in West Carson and the man and the female driver jumped out of the vehicle as it was still moving, KTLA footage showed. The suspect ran through a neighborhood before being arrested without incident in front of a home at Vermont Avenue and Belson Street in West Carson, police said.

The two women were arrested a short time later.