Police – NBC Los Angeles

Three men were arrested Tuesday afternoon after sparking a cross-county chase that began in Newport Beach, where they were suspected of killing an elderly woman during an attempted robbery at a mall.

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.

“There was a struggle and we believe the suspects dragged her down the street,” said Sergeant Steven Oberon of the Newport Beach Police Department.

As the alleged robbers tried to flee, two of them got into a white sedan while another fled on foot, firing his weapon “several times.”

As the suspects' car sped away from the scene, it hit the woman, killing her.

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

O'Neil also assured customers that theft was not common at the popular mall.

“Fashion Island does not have this type of crime, it is simply not possible,” the mayor said. “I can assure you that our friends at Fashion Island will step up their security and their approach to this problem.”

The group ended up traveling 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.

Police say two of the suspects abandoned their car in the South Gate neighborhood, split up and began running. They were eventually taken into custody.

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