A Whittier police officer was killed and another was wounded when they were fired upon while responding to a traffic accident Monday morning, authorities said.
The officers had responded to a report of a traffic accident near Mar Vista Street and Colima Road shortly before 8:30 a.m. when they were shot, said Lt. John Corina of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.
The suspect, who was driving a stolen vehicle, was involved in an accident, and when officers arrived, the suspect opened fire with an automatic handgun, Corina said. At least one of the officers returned fire, hitting the suspect. Investigators did not know why the suspect opened fire.
Sheriff's deputies are investigating the incident. Both officers and the suspect were rushed to area hospitals, where one officer was declared dead. The second officer was in stable condition.
Flag going up ahead of procession for @whittierpd officer killed in line of duty. pic.twitter.com/M3lMxYOIxM
— Leticia Juarez (@ABC7Leticia) February 20, 2017
The slain officer's body was escorted via motorcade from UC Irvine Medical Center to the Orange County Coroner's Office in Santa Ana.
Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today issued the following statement regarding the death of Whittier Police Department Officer Keith Boyer:
Anne and I were saddened to learn of the tragic death of Officer Boyer today and we extend our deepest condolences to his family, friends and coworkers.
