Christina Marie Salazar, 17

Christina Salazar, a 17-year-old white female, was shot to death Wednesday, March 2, near Maple Avenue and Adams Boulevard in Historic South-Central, according to Los Angeles County coroner's records.

The man who allegedly shot and killed her then led police on a nearly half-hour car chase that ended about a block from the shooting just south of downtown Los Angeles.

Police responded to a call of shots fired about 1:08 p.m. When they arrived in the residential neighborhood, they found Salazar wounded and on the ground, said Los Angeles Police Department Officer Bruce Borihanh.

Witnesses directed officers to where the gunman was hiding. Minutes later, the man got into a car and fled the scene in a silver Ford Expedition, said Sgt. Manuel Ramirez of the LAPD's Newton Division.

Police recovered a gun at the scene, Ramirez said.

The man led police on a short chase through East L.A. before returning to 27th Street west of Maple Avenue –- about a block from the shooting -- at about 1:35 p.m., Borihanh said. He got out of the car, lay on the pavement and was arrested, Borihanh said.

Salazar was taken to the hospital, where she died of her injuries, Ramirez said.

She was shot in the back, according to coroner's records.

-- Nate Jackson and Megan Garvey