Recently released footage by Oregon police reveals a dramatic chase, shootout, and the ultimate demise of a man suspected of murdering two women and kidnapping his son in previous incidents.
On April 22nd, Elias Huizar, a former Yakima Police Officer, allegedly killed his ex-wife and girlfriend in West Richland, Washington, before disappearing with his one-year-old son, Roman. A 24-hour manhunt ended in a high-speed pursuit in Oregon where Huizar inflicted a fatal gunshot wound to himself.
The video captures Huizar recklessly driving on Interstate 5 with his son in the rear, as recorded by body cameras worn by Oregon State Patrol troopers Sergent OJ Johnson and Senior Trooper Scott Show.
During the 22-minute chase, Huizar rammed into civilian cars on the freeway and fired at the troopers multiple times without stopping. The troopers returned fire.
Although police attempted to stop Huizar by redirecting his car and additional units arriving at the scene, he managed to evade all efforts until crashing into another vehicle near milepost 197, where he took his own life.
West Richland’s Police Chief Thomas Grego expressed mixed emotions, stating, “While I am grateful for this development, my heart is heavy due to the tragic circumstances.”
District Attorney of Linn County, Doug Marteeny, confirmed the legality of the use of deadly force on Huizar due to the imminent threat to life on June 6 and commended the police for their professionalism and bravery.