Two El Monte cops have been shot and killed Tuesday afternoon whereas responding to a doable stabbing at a motel, gorgeous many on this jap Los Angeles suburb.

El Monte officers mentioned officers instantly got here below hearth whereas responding to the Siesta Inn close to Central and Garvey avenues.

At a information convention Tuesday evening, Capt. Andrew Meyer, who heads the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Division’s Murder Bureau, confirmed that officers responded to a name for a doable stabbing at a motel, which they confronted. the suspect in a motel room and fired their weapons, and that the suspect ran out of the room and right into a car parking zone, the place the officers fired once more.

Three officers opened hearth in the course of the encounter, a Sheriff’s Division supply instructed The Instances. The taking pictures was reported round 4:47 p.m., in keeping with the division.

Two officers and the suspect have been struck by gunfire, Meyer mentioned. The officers have been taken to Los Angeles County-USC Medical Middle, the place they died. The suspect was pronounced useless on the scene.

Meyer mentioned a gun was recovered with the suspect.

Though the mayor of El Monte mentioned the officers have been “mainly ambushed,” Meyer wouldn’t say whether or not the officers have been attacked instantly after arriving on the motel. He declined to explain intimately the sequence of occasions that culminated within the officers’ deaths.

“We nonetheless do not have all of the information,” he mentioned.

On Tuesday evening, 20 investigators have been taking a look at surveillance video and interviewing witnesses, together with a girl who was contained in the motel room when officers arrived, Meyer mentioned.

The lady, believed to be the suspect’s girlfriend, had not been stabbed, he mentioned.

“They have been good males,” Capt. Ben Lowry, performing chief of the El Monte Police Division, mentioned of the officers. “These two heroes paid the last word sacrifice at the moment. They have been killed by a coward.”

Lowry requested the group to maintain the households of the officers of their prayers.

“I heard that the one technique to take the sting out of loss of life is to take the love out of life,” he mentioned. “And imagine me…these two males have been beloved.”

Authorities didn’t identify the officers and mentioned their family have been nonetheless being notified of their deaths. One was a 22-year veteran and the opposite had been on the power lower than a yr, Lowry mentioned. They each had household in El Monte.

A regulation enforcement supply mentioned officers responded to a radio name on the motel, confronted one another and shot them at shut vary.

One other supply instructed The Instances that the suspect fired by way of the door after officers knocked.

A Sheriff’s Division supply mentioned the colleagues took the officers to police cruisers and took them to County-USC, which is infamous for treating gunshot wounds.

“It’s with a damaged coronary heart that we don’t start to precise the loss we really feel,” El Monte Mayor Jessica Ancona mentioned throughout a information convention Tuesday evening. “They have been performing as the primary line of protection for members of the group after they have been primarily ambushed whereas making an attempt to maintain the household secure.”

Mayra Lomeli, 49, of El Monte, mentioned she heard three photographs that brought about her to leap below a desk at El Perico Market, a block from the Siesta Inn.

Lomeli, a shopper of El Perico, mentioned he overcame his concern and ran to lock the entrance door, fearing a gunman may attempt to sneak in.

“I did not know what was occurring, however I do know that typically determined folks run into close by buildings seeking to escape,” he mentioned.

Lomeli mentioned it was simply after 4:30 pm when he heard gunshots. She was having an early dinner with a good friend.

That good friend, she mentioned, was denied entry to her house across the nook from the taking pictures. Lomeli, who lives three blocks away, returned to her home.

“Instantly after the taking pictures, the police have been closing entry to all native residents; even among the retailer house owners have been unable to return to enterprise,” he mentioned.

Authorities blocked the Santa Anita Avenue exit of the eastbound 10 Freeway, whereas Garvey Avenue was closed between Doreen Avenue and Merced Avenue.

“That lodge is ineffective,” Lomeli mentioned. “There are all the time issues there. If it is not medication, then it is prostitution.”

“On behalf of everybody on the District Legal professional’s workplace, I need to prolong my deepest condolences to the households, buddies and colleagues of the 2 El Monte cops who died on responsibility at the moment,” the Los Angeles County District mentioned. Lawyer mentioned George Gascón on Tuesday evening. “We’re with you right now of nice loss.”

Most of Garvey Avenue between Santa Anita and Merced avenues was abandoned by 6 p.m. Police directed non-local visitors and pedestrians down facet streets. Barricades have been put as much as forestall guests from parking at native shops.

Practically each enterprise — a laundromat, King Taco, a liquor retailer and a comfort retailer — within the El Monte mall adjoining to the scene of the taking pictures closed at 7 p.m., simply over two hours after the incident.

A 24-hour Yum Yum Donuts retailer was the one enterprise nonetheless open, its spotlights glowing at nighttime.

Claudia Ana Ramírez, 32, ate a leg cake for dinner round 9 pm on the retailer whereas watching information of the taking pictures.

After a 12-hour nursing shift at an area nursing house, Ramirez had deliberate to buy groceries and choose up a few tacos. However he discovered the companies closed and the road darkish. She was grateful to have a spot to eat.

“I assumed I must purchase meals on the fuel station or stroll very far,” Ramírez mentioned. “I did not need to go house hungry.”

Tuesday’s taking pictures occurred about 20 hours after a California Freeway Patrol officer was shot throughout a visitors cease in Studio Metropolis.

The officer was injured and brought to Cedars-Sinai Medical Middle, authorities mentioned.

One suspect, Pejhmaun Iraj Khosroabadi, 33, was arrested after a manhunt lasted till Tuesday morning. He was booked on suspicion of tried homicide of a police officer.

In accordance with the Nationwide Regulation Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund Fatality Report, there have been 62 firearm-related officer deaths in 2021, a 38% enhance from the 45 officers killed in related incidents in 2020.

Of the 62 gun deaths final yr, 19 officers have been ambushed, eight have been investigating suspicious actions or folks, and 7 have been trying an arrest.

Anybody with details about the El Monte taking pictures is requested to name the Sheriff’s Division Murder Bureau at (323) 890-5500.

Instances employees author Alene Tchekmedyian contributed to this report.