San Diego's police chief says an officer was shot and killed and another was injured after they made a traffic stop late Thursday. A suspect is in custody.
Both officers were assigned to an elite anti-gang unit, police Chief Shelley Zimmerman said at a late-night news conference. She described the incident in San Diego's Southcrest neighborhood, in the southern part of the beach-side city:
"Two officers put out shortly before 11 o'clock, making a stop. Almost immediately, very shortly after they put out that they were making a stop, they called for emergency cover. Other officers were in the area. They arrived shortly on scene and found both of our officers suffering from gunshot wounds. "One of the officers was placed in the vehicle of another officer that arrived on scene and taken to the hospital. Heroic efforts by the officers on scene. Heroic efforts by the doctors to save his life, but heartbroken to report that they were unable to save his life and he is deceased."
Zimmerman said the slain officer was shot "multiple times to his upper torso." The injured officer was also shot in his upper torso and was transported by medics to a local hospital, she said. The police department tweeted that the injured officer was out of surgery and is expected to survive.
The suspect was found nearby in a "ravine-type area" and is a Hispanic male adult, Zimmerman said. He sustained a gunshot wound and was being treated in an area hospital, she said, adding that it's still unclear whether there is a second suspect.
The officers affected have not been named. Zimmerman said the officer who was killed has a wife and two children, and they have been informed. "It's extremely difficult. There's nothing that prepares you to do that," the police chief said.
Copyright 2016 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.
