An unidentified gunman opened fire on two LAPD officers during a morning ambush in Los Angeles Tuesday (May 25). One of the two officers was struck in the hand, the other was grazed.
Wearing all black, the suspect attacked two detectives in the Mid-City area of L.A. at around 4:30 a.m. The officers belonged to an undercover burglary task force, and were on their way back to the station in a white van. LAPD Chief Charlie Beck called the incident “a blatant attempt to assassinate two of the people who protect this community,” at a press conference today.
Authorities believe the officers to be intended targets. “They knew that these were police officers or police employees,” Cmdr. Andy Smith said. “Anybody willing to take on two police officers outside a police station is obviously a dangerous individual.”
The men were waiting for the security gate to open when “someone from behind began shooting at their vehicle,” Smith said. More than a dozen shots were exchanged before the man ran away. The are was locked down following the crime.
Both victims have been released from the hospital and are aiding in the search for the shooter. The altercation drew instant parallels to Christopher Dorner, a fired LAPD officer who went on a shooting spree over retaliation against the department. Dorner claimed to witness instances of brutality and racism. He alleged to have been fired for making noise about what he witnessed, claims of which were disproved by an internal investigation.
See photos from today’s scene below.
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Photos: LA Times
