2 Drivers Hurt When Suspects Flee Cops: NYPD

Police officers driving to their stationhouse in the Bronx intercepted a shooting on the street, sparking a brief chase resulting in a crash injuring two innocent drivers, police said. 

The officers were headed to the 42nd Precinct station in the Bronx in an unmarked police car when they saw two people firing a gun on the 3000 block of 3rd Avenue, police said. It's not clear who or what they were targeting. 

The suspects ran to Weiher Court and into a blue Dodge, and that's when both marked and unmarked patrol cars pursued them to 163rd and Trinton, police said. The suspects dumped their weapon there. 

One police vehicle stopped for officers to pick up the weapon while the suspect vehicle continued on to Prospect, hitting a livery cab on the way, police said. Then it smashed into another vehicle about a mile away at Intervale and East 167th -- seconds after a school bus had gone through the intersection, surveillance video shows -- and the people in the car ran out. 

"It crashed, and that's when we seen all the police," said witness Mike Smith. "It was just crazy. I thought somebody had died." 

Police were able to apprehend the three people trying to flee. 

The innocent drivers who were hit sustained minor injuries. 

Witness Donna Dorns said "I heard the guy in his car yelling, 'help, help,' but then you see a whole bunch of cop cars." 

Dorns said the timing of the chase was especially worrisome.

"My kids get out of school and I know there's always a lot of kids here, so I was worried about the kids and if there was going to be the shooting," she said. 

Charges are pending for the three people taken into custody.

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