That gunfire made the incident highly unusual. Law enforcement officers rarely open fire from helicopters in the United States, say experts, some of whom can recall it happening only once or twice in more than 30 years.
The drama began when deputies tried to arrest the holdup suspect during the lunch hour Friday in Fontana.
The fleeing suspect sped through Fontana and San Bernardino at speeds topping 100 mph and ended up traveling the wrong way in the northbound lanes of I-215, said Deputy Olivia Bozek.