Off-duty LAPD officer killed, 1 other person wounded in shooting
LINCOLN HEIGHTS, LOS ANGELES -- An off-duty Los Angeles Police Department officer was killed early Saturday morning in a Lincoln Heights shooting that left a second victim wounded, authorities said.
An LAPD motorcycle officer was flagged down shortly before 1 a.m. after reports of a shooting in the area of Avenue 26 and Humboldt Street, and discovered that one of the two men suffering from gunshot wounds was a fellow officer, according to officials.
Assistant Police Chief Beatrice Girmala confirmed the death at a 6 a.m. news conference. Mayor Eric Garcetti identified the slain policeman in a later statement.
"The senseless murder of Officer Juan Diaz is a shocking reminder of the dangers that LAPD officers face every moment they wear the badge, and the absolute courage and selflessness with which they uphold the oath each day," the mayor said, expressing condolences to Diaz's family and friends.
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"My promise is that we will hold them close, stand with them every step of the way - and never tire until we find and prosecute the vicious criminals responsible for this horrific tragedy," the statement said.
The other man injured in the shooting was hospitalized and is expected to survive.
"We mourn the tragic loss of a young officer killed in an act of senseless violence and ask for our community's support in finding his killer," LAPD Chief Michel Moore, who was out of the country at the time, said on Twitter.
The circumstances that led to the deadly incident were under investigation, according to the LAPD.
No suspect was in custody. A description of the shooter or shooters was not available.
