Two LA-area police officers shot and killed responding to stabbing
Two Los Angeles-area police officers were fatally shot while responding to a possible stabbing at a motel on Tuesday night, officials said.
The two El Monte police officers were responding to the possible crime scene at a Siesta Inn when they were immediately met by gunfire, the city, located in LA County, said in a press release.
The suspect fled the motel room and another shootout with police occurred outside the building, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Homicide Capt. Andrew Meyer said at a Tuesday night press briefing.
Both officers were hit and rushed to LA County-USC Medical Center, where they were pronounced dead.
“These two heroes paid the ultimate sacrifice. Today they were murdered by a coward. And we are grieving, and it hurts,” El Monte Police Interim Chief Ben Lowry said at the briefing.
The suspect was also shot and killed, authorities said.
Police said a woman believed to be the suspect’s girlfriend was found inside the motel room.
The woman, who was not stabbed, was being interviewed by investigators.
Lowry said one of the slain officers was a 22-year veteran and the other had been on the force for less than a year. Their identities were being withheld pending family notification.
“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,” the city, its police force and police officers association said in a joint statement.
“It weighs heavy on our hearts and we are sending our support to their families” the statement said.
“We would also like to thank the El Monte community and our surrounding government agencies for the outpouring of support we have received in the last few hours.”
