$10K reward offered to find suspect in shootout with Redondo Beach police officers
Redondo Beach is offering $10,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspect accused of shooting at two officers last week.
It happened on Feb. 21, at around 8:30 p.m. near the El Segundo Boulevard and Doty Avenue intersection in Hawthorne, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.
Officers from the Redondo Beach Police Department were assigned to a South Bay DUI task force and conducted a traffic stop of a motorcyclist in the 12800 block of Prairie Avenue. The motorcyclist then ran on foot as officers followed. He fired several rounds at the officers and one officer shot back at the suspect before losing him in a nearby neighborhood.
None of the officers were wounded during the shooting, and the firearm used by the suspect was recovered.
LA County deputies, who took over the investigation, identified the suspect as Lester Castro, 35, of Hawthorne.
"We are very fortunate and grateful that the violent act against two Redondo Beach police officers on Feb. 21 did not add to the number of fallen law enforcement officers," said RBPD Chief Joe Hoffman.
Anyone with information about the suspect's whereabouts is urged to contact LASD's Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500. Anonymous tips can be submitted to Crime Stoppers by dialing (800) 222-8477, lacrimestoppers.org, or through the app "P3 Tips," available through Google Play and the Apple App Store.
