Update: The gunman walked up on the deputies and opened fire without warning or provocation. pic.twitter.com/cBQjyKkoxJ
— LA County Sheriffs (@LASDHQ) September 13, 2020
Warning: Video is disturbing.
A gunman stepped up to a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department vehicle, and opened fire, as seen on video. Two deputies were injured, according to officials. The incident happened at approximately 7 a.m. on Saturday at the Compton terminal of the MTA Blue Line, Sheriff Alex Villanueva told reporters at a press conference.
“This was an unprovoked, cowardly act,” said Assemblymember Reggie Jones-Sawyer (D-District 59), chair of the Committee of Public Safety.
The victims were transported to St. Francis Medical Center, said LASD Captain Kent Wegener. He said they had a “very, very generic suspect description of a dark-skinned male.”
The deputies suffered from multiple gunshot wounds, and were out of surgery, Villanueva said. He did not say where they were struck. The sheriff described the female deputy as the 31-year-old mother of a six-year-old boy, and the male deputy as a 24-year-old man. He swore them into office 14 months ago, he said.
At least one of the victims was shot in the face, and the other was struck in the head, said law enforcement sources cited by The Los Angeles Times.
The aftermath of the incident was on edge, as a number of demonstrators showed up to the hospital.
A tense situation developing in Lynwood as a handful of protesters on sidewalk shout at deputies outside St. Francis medical center where 2 deputies are recovering from surgery after being shot tonight in Compton pic.twitter.com/wwpcnVFvOI
— Josie Huang (@josie_huang) September 13, 2020
To the protesters blocking the entrance & exit of the HOSPITAL EMERGENCY ROOM yelling “We hope they die” referring to 2 LA Sheriff’s ambushed today in #Compton: DO NOT BLOCK EMERGENCY ENTRIES & EXITS TO THE HOSPITAL. People’s lives are at stake when ambulances can’t get through.
— LA County Sheriffs (@LASDHQ) September 13, 2020
Deputies said they arrested a male adult protester at the hospital after he did not comply with a dispersal order. They claimed a woman ran at them, and ignored their commands to stay back.
(3/3) The female adult, who was later identified as a member of the press, did not identify herself as press and later admitted she did not have proper press credentials on her person. Both individuals have been arrested for 148 P.C.
— LA County Sheriffs (@LASDHQ) September 13, 2020
148 P.C. is the law for resisting arrest. The woman was identified elsewhere as LAist reporter Josie Huang.
ABC7 showing video of radio reporter being taken down to the pavement by officers, handcuffed and led to a patrol car outside of hospital where two #LA County deputies shot in ambush are being treated @LASDHQ #crime #SoCal pic.twitter.com/rTg1UdeDKA
— Scott Schwebke (@TheChalkOutline) September 13, 2020
LAist contended with the version of events from deputies. LASD Spokesperson Deputy Juanita Navarro said Huang “didn’t have proper credentials,” but an article from outlet reporters Frank Stoltze and Aaron Mendelson stated “she was clearly wearing press credentials around her neck.” In a thread, Huang said she was attempting to document the arrest of a protester.
Last night I was arrested and charged with obstructing a peace officer by @LASDHQ after videotaping their interactions with protesters in Lynwood. This is what I remember and what I have on video and audio.
— Josie Huang (@josie_huang) September 13, 2020
Here’s more of the video, the zoom is still on.
I saw a commotion ahead of me. Deputies rushed one man and chased another.
I was filming an arrest when suddenly deputies shout “back up.” Within seconds, I was getting shoved around. There was nowhere to back up. pic.twitter.com/Y0amc46NZr
— Josie Huang (@josie_huang) September 13, 2020
Somehow I was able to start a new video right away. You see my phone clatter to the ground and I start shouting “I’m a reporter…I’m with KPCC.” I scream for help from the TV reporters I know are around the corner doing their 11 p.m. live hits pic.twitter.com/O9CZNuSrQI
— Josie Huang (@josie_huang) September 13, 2020
Thank you https://t.co/5ajOiRV1m6 for what is the clearest footage of my arrest by @LASDHQ.
It’s how I remember it — like being tossed around in the ocean and then slammed into rock pic.twitter.com/G3rfCR1NiI
— Josie Huang (@josie_huang) September 14, 2020
Update – September 14, 2020, 12:10 a.m.: Added tweets regarding Huang’s point of view, and video of her arrest. Meanwhile, the search for the shooter of the two deputies is ongoing.
[Screengrab via Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department]
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