Police – NBC Los Angeles

Three men were arrested Tuesday afternoon after sparking a nationwide manhunt that began in Newport Beach, where they were suspected of killing an elderly woman during a mall robbery.

The violent series of events began after 3:30 p.m. when the three men, one from Cypress and two others from Los Angeles County, attempted to rob the 69-year-old woman and her husband outside Barnes & Noble.

“An altercation ensued and we believe the suspects then dragged her out into the street,” said Sergeant Steven Oberon of the Newport Beach Police Department.

As the suspected robbers attempted to flee, two of them got into a white sedan while another ran away on foot, firing his weapon “multiple times.”

As the suspects’ car quickly left the scene of the accident, the woman was hit and killed.

“To hell with these guys,” said Mayor Will O’Neil of Newport Beach. “They came to our city knowing they were going to commit a crime, and today a woman died because of it.”

O’Neil also assured customers that robberies do not occur regularly at the popular shopping center.

“There is no such crime on Fashion Island, that is simply not the case,” the mayor said. “I can guarantee you that our friends on Fashion Island will be increasing their security measures and toughening up their approach to this.”

The group eventually traveled more than 30 miles from the Newport Beach mall and ended up in South Gate near Harding Avenue and Paramount Boulevard near the 105 Freeway.

According to police, two of the suspects abandoned their car in the South Gate neighborhood, separated and began running. They were eventually arrested.

A third person was arrested in Cyprus, about halfway between South Gate and Newport