Local News in Brief : Off-Duty Police Officer Embroiled in Gunfight

Agun battle erupted after an off-duty police detective followed two men he had seen firing guns out the windows of their car on the Foothill Freeway, Los Angeles police said Monday.

The shooting started at 7:40 p.m. Sunday on the freeway’s Osborne Street off-ramp, police said. Detective Jack Kaylor had been heading home from work when he saw the two men holding guns out the window of a car and shooting.

“They were shooting at random into the air,� Lt. Bernard D. Conine said.

Conine said Kaylor followed the eastbound car down the exit to get its license-plate number. Kaylor caught the car at nearby Terra Bella Street in Lake View Terrace, where the men got out of their cars. Police said the suspects then opened fire on Kaylor, who drew his gun and fired.

After 13 shots were fired, the suspects jumped back in their car and fled. They are still at large. Police said Kaylor was not hit by the gunfire. It was not known if the two gunmen were injured.