A shootout in Salazar Park in East Los Angeles late on Wednesday, Sept. 19, left two California deputies injured and a suspect dead.
They were shot during a gunfight with at least three suspects at the park that started when officers investigated a report of a man with a gun about seven blocks away from the park.
The information relayed to deputies indicated the man was pointing a gun at passerby from a vehicle.
The car the man was in was tracked to the park. Before the deputies—who were in two separate vehicles—could pull it over, the car stopped and the occupants emerged with guns drawn and started shooting.
The suspects started shooting at the police before any officers fired a shot, officials stressed.
Officers’ Condition
The officers were hit in their upper torso. One suspect was killed. The other two suspects, one of whom was injured, were both arrested.“It looks pretty good, so we’re hopeful there’s no complications and they make a speedy recovery,” Harris Capt. Darren Harris said in a press briefing.
Investigation Launched
Homicide detectives were at the scene of the gunfight on Sept. 20, gathering evidence and poring over the area, reported The Associated Press.Video footage showed a number of officers on the scene.
Anyone with information on the gunfight or the events that led up to it is asked to call the police.
“We'll follow all leads. I mean, if you’re going to shoot at a deputy sheriff, shoot two of our deputy sheriffs, then we’re going to follow every lead to try and find out exactly who was involved with this and hold them accountable,” Harris said.
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