One person was hospitalized, 3 people are in jail, and a family dog was shot in the process.  The events are all part of a frightening chain of events Monday as a carjacking and assault turned into a police pursuit.

In a press release issued 24 hours after the incident, Lake Charles Police Deputy Chief Mark Kraus said the ordeal began Monday afternoon when 3 men approached another man in the parking lot of the Cinemark theater on West Prien Lake Road and stole his vehicle, but not before beating him.

Kraus said officers were able to catch up to the suspects on Ryan Street and pursue them as they drove the stolen vehicle to the parking lot of the Capital One Bank branch at the corner of Prien Lake and Ryan.  The suspects bailed from the vehicle near Fiske Street and ran through several yards in the residential area.

Police officers eventually arrested 2 juvenile males and a 19 year old man, Donnie Caldwell Leonard, of Duson.  Leonard and the two juveniles faced car jacking, simple robbery, and resisting charges.

During the foot chase, officers encountered a family dog that had gotten loose from a yard after the suspects left a gate open.  One of the officers involved in the foot chase shot the dog after police said the dog began running toward him.

"After visiting with the family of the deceased dog today, our hearts are heavy for them as well as the police officer that was involved," Kraus said in the statement.

"We don't know how this could have been avoided right now, as there are no winners in this case.  A man who was brining his parents to the movies was beaten so badly that he had to go to the hospital."

http://www.kplctv.com/story/18946157/man-injured-in-carjacking-3-arrested

http://reason.com/blog/2012/07/03/cops-shoot-dog-during-foot-chase