A security guard was killed in Shanghai Monday night while assisting police in a 90-minute, high-speed car chase that sent another guard and a police officer to the hospital.

The scene had all the elements of a Hollywood action movie, complete with hundreds of officers and a shootout with two carjacking suspects who were found to be carrying toy guns.

The chase began after the two male suspects, who police would only identify by their surnames, Zhang and Song, carjacked a taxi using the toy guns just after 10 pm on Monday.

According to the Shanghai Public Security Bureau, the pair got into the cab on Huaihai Road in Luwan District and asked the driver to take them to a remote location in rural Jiading District.

Once there, they pulled out the toy guns and ordered the cabbie to get into the back of the car, but he bolted the scene and reported the incident to police.

That triggered a massive chase that involved 60 police cars and 10 trucks used to block off roads.

During the pursuit, one police car ran head-on into a truck, killing civilian security guard Cui Renfa, 47, and injuring another guard and a police officer. Both of the injured men were sent to a hospital, but their wounds are not considered life-threatening.

"At Shangda Road in Baoshan, we managed to trap the taxi," said Yao Zhirong, director of Baoshan District Public Security Bureau.

After ensuing there were no hostages in the car, police drew their weapons and fired on the suspects.

They tried to escape but were forced to stop and were captured, Yao said.

"We have only seen scenes like this on TV or in movies before," said Yao.

Cui is the second member of the city's civilian security force - security guards who sometimes assist police but are not part of the force - to be killed on the job since last month.

On October 18, an office building guard was stabbed to death as he tried to stop a mugging in Huangpu District.

Cui, who earned a mere 700 yuan (US$84.34) a month for his work, leaves behind an unemployed wife and daughter, who is studying at a local university.

"We are working for a solution for Cui's family," said Yao.

Chen Zhenhua, vice director of the security bureau's command department, asked reporters to stand for a minute of silence during a police press conference yesterday. Police say they are still investigating the case, and no charges have been laid.

The two suspects face charges of robbery and severely breaking traffic laws but not murder, according to the security bureau.

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