Both a 22-year police veteran and a rookie lost their lives after being “essentially ambushed,” according to Mayor Jessica Ancona. Late Tuesday afternoon, two officers of the El Monte Police were shot and killed in the city outlying Los Angeles, California. The suspect is also dead.
Ambushed and murdered
Police released a statement explaining that the officers were ambushed around 4:45 p.m. on Tuesday, June 14. That’s when “El Monte officers responded to a report of a stabbing at a motel.”
They were obviously expected. As soon as they arrived, they “immediately took gunfire.” Both officers were “rushed to a hospital where they later died.”
As related by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, “the suspect was shot and died at the scene.” He hasn’t been identified.
All city officials are saying is that “the two officers were responding to a domestic violence report between a boyfriend and girlfriend” when they were brutally ambushed. The shootout started inside the motel room.
After the bushwhacker fled outside to the parking lot, “another shootout occurred.” Cops know they could get jumped at any moment. Their uniform is like a big red target on their backs.
“As our officers do on a daily basis, they were acting as the first line of defense for our community members when they were essentially ambushed while trying to keep a family safe.”
Trying to help somebody
The El Monte police are devastated to lose a veteran officer with 22 years experience alongside another with loads of potential who had been with the department less than a year. The unidentified veteran had grown up in the city and went to school there. Interim El Monte Police Chief Ben Lowry was heartbroken to declare they “paid the ultimate sacrifice serving their community trying to help somebody.”
“They do what hundreds of thousands of men and women do every day across the United States. They took an oath to protect people and to serve them. These two heroes paid the ultimate sacrifice. They were murdered by a coward.” They were obviously ambushed but the reason why isn’t as apparent. “We are grieving and it hurts.”
A witness told local news that “he heard five gunshots before additional officers arrived.” The second group was ambushed, too. “Two more officers got there later and also came under fire. They scrambled for cover.” They weren’t about to let the suspect get away.
According to bystander Arthur Kintsbury, “I saw the suspect was on the ground. I already knew, considering he was laying there motionless, he was deceased.”
This tragic shooting comes on the heels of a California Highway Patrol officer ambushed the day before in Studio City. The CHP officer is listed in “critical but stable” condition. The city of El Monte and El Monte police teamed up to release a joint statement.
“There are no words to describe our grief and devastation by this senseless act as we learned about the passing of two of our police officers. It weighs heavy on our hearts and we are sending our support to their families.“