Police seek suspect in Roxbury hit, run

Police last night were on the lookout for the suspect in a hit-and-run who took off in a red Toyota sedan when cops approached, then ditched the car and a gun after a crash on Marcella Street in Roxbury.

The suspect was initially spotted parked on a crosswalk at Heath Street and Columbus Avenue Saturday night about 11:13 p.m., police said.

Members of the Boston Police Department’s Youth Violence Strike Force were in the area responding to recent gun-related incidents near the Mildred C. Hailey Apartments when they first tried to stop the suspect at Highland and Centre streets.

Police said that the driver ignored their blue lights and sirens and took off after cops over the loudspeaker told him to put the vehicle in park.

Officers lost track of the car but heard a loud crash moments later at the intersection of Marcella and Highland streets, police said.

The driver of a Landrover SUV had front bumper and headlight damage and told police that he was hit by a red Toyota sedan.

Officers said a passerby told police that there was a firearm at the intersection of Marcella and Ritchie streets.

Police said they recovered a loaded Springfield Armory Model XD-9 firearm and later found an abandoned red Toyota sedan at Humboldt Avenue and Elbert Street.

Anyone with information is asked to call the CrimeStoppers Tip Line at 800-494-TIPS or by texting the word “TIP” to 27463 and can do so anonymously.