Two Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies got severely injured after getting shot on Saturday evening in Compton in what the authorities described as an 'ambush', which was filmed on surveillance video.
The clip that was released by the department showed a man walking up to the deputies parked patrol car and pull out a gun. The man then fired many times into the front seat area from the passenger side and is then seen running away from the scene.
Sheriff's Deputies Shot
The Sheriff's Department confirmed that the shooting took place at around 7 pm near the Blue Line station at 275 Willowbrook Avenue. "One male deputy and one female deputy were ambushed as they sat in their patrol vehicle. Both sustained multiple gunshot wounds and are in critical condition. They are both currently undergoing surgery," the statement of the department read.
They later said that both got out of surgery. Law enforcement sources told the Los Angeles Times that at least one of them was shot in the face and the other in the head. Sheriff Alex Villanueva said that both got sworn into office 14 months ago. "The two deputies were ambushed by a gunman in a cowardly fashion. This is a dangerous job," he mentioned.
FBI Assisting in Investigation
He informed that the detectives of the sheriff's shot and killed a man in Compton on Thursday who they claim to have opened fire on them as they served a search warrant. "Every week across the nation someone is losing their life in the line of duty. This is just another grim reminder of that," he said.
LAPD Chief also showed his support on Twitter. "Tonight we pray for these two guardians to survive. I recognize and acknowledge we live in troubled times. But we must as a community work thru our differences while loudly and resoundingly condemn violence. Blessed are the Peacemakers," he tweeted.
No more details were immediately available and the FBI is assisting in the investigation, as per Los Angeles Times. Captain Kent Wegner stated that the only description he has about the shooter is that the man was a 'dark-skinned male', as reported by the KTLA5. Few of the local law and enforcement officers took to social media to express their anger regarding the incident.
