Two Los Angeles Police Department vehicles rushing to a call for backup smashed into each other in downtown L.A. early Thursday, sending four officers to the hospital, officials said.

News video from the scene showed a police SUV and a squad car partially on the sidewalk with a car bumper between them at 11th and Santee streets. Both vehicles’ airbags were deployed.

LAPD Officer Kristen Krikke said the officers in each vehicle were rushing to the aid of an officer working a vandalism call nearby when they collided at the intersection at about 12:30 a.m. One vehicle was northbound on Santee and the other was westbound on 11th, Krikke said.

It was not immediately clear if one or both of the vehicles had their lights and sirens on at the time of the crash.


The collision sent all four officers involved to the hospital. Two were released by 5:30 a.m., and another was released later Thursday morning, Krikke said. The fourth officer was being kept for observation and was listed in stable condition with a head injury, she said.

A person was arrested in connection with the vandalism call, Krikke said, but no other information was immediately available.

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