Search Continues For 2 Suspects Wanted For Shooting LAPD Officer
LOS ANGELES (AP) — More than 100 officers fanned out for blocks in a South Los Angeles neighborhood on Thursday in a search for two men suspected of shooting a police officer.
The officer and his partner were in a patrol car and had pulled over to question two men -- one on a bike, the other on foot. They had barely gotten out of their car when at least one of the men opened fire, said Cmdr. Andy Smith.
More than a dozen shots were fired, police said.
One officer was struck multiple times in the chest, wrist and hand, police said. He was taken to a hospital in serious condition, but has since been upgraded to stable.
Chief Charlie Beck said that the officer's bullet-proof vest likely saved his life.
The officer's name was not released, but Beck said he is a seven-year veteran of the department. He is married but has no children, Beck said.
A third man was treated for injuries after the shooting and detained for questioning, but it wasn't clear if he was a suspect or a bystander, Smith said.
The area where the shooting occurred is lined with tidy stucco, Spanish-style bungalows, many behind iron fences, with neatly kept lawns. Residents returning home from work were backed up for blocks in a cordoned-off area as police searched for the suspects.
Alexis Jones, 19, stood outside her family home waiting for her mother, who was delayed in traffic.
"Over here it's really peaceful. I don't ever hear any noises or gang violence or anything," she said. "This is a shock to me coming out and seeing all these helicopters and police cars."
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