Sandy MaloneLos Angeles, CA – Graphic and heroic images of two Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies in the moments after they were both shot on Saturday night have been released to the media with the approval of their families.
The deputies, a 31-year-old female and a 24-year-old male, both graduated from the training academy 14 months before they were shot, CBS News reported.
Both deputies suffered serious gunshot wounds at about 7 p.m. on Sept. 12 when an unidentified male approached the patrol vehicle they were sitting in at the Metro Blue Line train station in Compton and shot them.
Social media reports said the female deputy had just returned to duty after maternity leave.
Surveillance video captured the moment a dark-skinned male in dark clothing walked up to their patrol car near the intersection of Willowbrook Avenue and Oak Street and opened fire on them from just a few feet away.
KTTV reported that the female deputy was shot twice in the jaw and the male deputy was shot in the head and the arm.
The female deputy applied a tourniquet to her wounded partner’s arm as they took cover behind a column of a nearby building after they were shot.
Both deputies were transported to the hospital where they underwent surgery and remained in critical condition, KTTV reported.
“LASD & the families of the two ambushed deputies have given me permission to show this graphic photo of the moment after they were shot,” Bill Melugin of KTTV tweeted on Sunday night.
“I’m told female deputy was shot through jaw, still radioed for help & applied tourniquet to male deputy’s wounds,” he continued. “Both stable now.”
NEW: LASD & the families of the two ambushed deputies have given me permission to show this graphic photo of the moment after they were shot. I’m told female deputy was shot through jaw, still radioed for help & applied tourniquet to male deputy’s wounds. Both stable now. @FOXLA pic.twitter.com/6m06qec1v2
— Bill Melugin (@BillFOXLA) September 14, 2020
Sheriff’s officials said the video showed the gunman fled on foot after shooting the deputies, The Washington Post reported.
The community response to the attack on the deputies was also very disturbing.
Videos showed witnesses celebrating the shooting of the deputies at the scene.
“That n—a just got aired out, cuz,” one bystander said as he live-streamed nearby the incident. “They just bust on them n—as, cuz. That’s crazy.”
“D–n, oh it goes down in Compton,” he continued. “… that n—a on his knees.”
Reprehensible witness reaction video of the 2 officers being shot point blank.
— The Red-Headed Libertarian™ (@TRHLofficial) September 13, 2020
Shortly after the two wounded deputies arrived at St. Francis Medical Center in critical condition, a group of activists arrived and called for the death of the deputies, according to KABC.
Activists were seen blocking the emergency entrance and exits to the hospital and some tried to get inside of the building.
Bishop Juan Carlos Mendez with Churches in Action told KABC that the activists were chanting for the deputies to die.
“They were saying death to the police, kill the police and they were using all types of curse words and derogatory terms about the police, just provoking our police officers,” Mendez said, according to KABC. “Unacceptable behavior because the hospital should be a sanctuary, we should leave hospitals alone.”
Video from the scene showed activists yelling “I want to deliver a message to the family: I hope they f—ing die,” and “Y’all gonna die one by one. This ain’t gonna stop.”
Another video filmed during protests on Sunday showed activists threatening to rape and kill police officers’ wives and girlfriends.
Antifa and Black Lives Matter militants taunt LAPD and LASD deputies, making remarks about how they’ll rape a cop’s girlfriend like a dog instead of a pig. pic.twitter.com/t7Ai2SNaBQ
— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) September 13, 2020
Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva announced a $100,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the gunman, KTTV reported.
$100K REWARD OFFER in Manhunt for Suspect in Ambush Shooting of 2 LA Sheriff’s Deputies #Compton #LASD
Call investigators with your tips to 323-890-5500. https://t.co/gFFsQ72niE pic.twitter.com/N2uk4ONXKg
— LA County Sheriffs (@LASDHQ) September 13, 2020
The gunman is described as being between 28 and 30 years old and wearing dark clothing. No information has been released regarding a possible motive for the shootings.
Sheriff Villanueva called out the growing trend of targeting police and called the gunman a coward, KTTV reported.
“Two deputies were ambushed in a cowardly fashion. It pisses me off and it dismays me,” the sheriff told reporters.
Holly Matkin
