RECOVERED PISTOL (HBPD photo).

A high speed chase Friday morning in Huntington Beach led to a “shelter-in-place” situation at two schools and the arrest of two suspects.

According to Corbin Carson, public affairs officer for the HBPD, the incident began around 8:45 a.m. in response to a report of the theft of a leaf blower from a gardener’s truck in the area of Yorktown Avenue and Goldenwest Street.

The suspects fled the area before police could arrive but with a vehicle description and a partial license plate number, an officer spotted the car, which led a high-speed chase.

As the vehicles approached the downtown area, the pursuit was cancelled for safety reasons.

The suspects abandoned their vehicle but witnesses pointed in the suspects’ direction.

During the search, Dwyer Middle School and Smith Elementary School were placed in “shelter-in-place” status.

The suspects were caught and arrested and a loaded firearm and the leaf blower was recovered from the vehicle.

Arrested were Clayton Lohman, 27, a Florida man, on various charges, as was Kurstin Pulliam, 28, a Texas woman.