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An off-duty LAPD officer was killed in South LA after an attempted robbery, late Monday night.
At around 9:15 PM - LA County Sheriff's deputies responded to the scene of a shooting near the 8700 block of Beach Street in South LA. After deputies arrived on the scene, they found the off-duty LAPD officer with gunshot wounds. Sheriff's deputies loaded him into a patrol car and rushed him to St. Francis Medical Center in Lynwood, where he succumbed to his injuries.
Investigators have said that the off-duty LAPD officer was in the area with his girlfriend looking at homes. As the couple was looking at homes, a black pickup truck approached. Three suspects, one of them armed, exited the vehicle and an argument ensued. Following the argument, shots were fired and the LAPD officer was struck. The three suspects got into their vehicle and fled the scene.
LAPD Chief Michael Moore identified the fallen officer this morning as 27-year-old Fernando Arroyos, a three-year veteran with the LAPD.
Arroyos' girlfriend was not struck during the ordeal.
Two guns were recovered from the scene, one believed to be dropped by the suspect and one believed to belong to the officer.
Chief Moore commented on the shooting late Monday night saying:
“We’re very limited as to how much information we have, but we know that we need the community’s help,”
He continued by saying:
“And we also have every faith and confidence that we’ll identify the person or persons responsible for this terrible attack and this grievous loss."
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti also commented on this tragic murder this morning. He said:
“This man died a hero trying to defend himself and his girlfriend,”
A procession was held early Tuesday morning to transport Arroyos' body from the St. Francis Medical Center to the LA County Coroner's Office in Boyle Heights. Firefighters and officers lined the streets of Boyle Heights to pay their respects to the fallen officer.
The three suspects remain at large, no arrests have been made.
Rest in peace, Officer Arroyos