Two Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies who were wounded in a gun battle with several suspects at a baseball field in East L.A. remained in serious but stable condition Thursday, according to officials. The two deputies were both shot in the upper body during an exchange of fire with at least three gunmen at Ruben F. Salazar Park on Wednesday, authorities said. The names of the deputies have not been released, but authorities said both were assigned to the East L.A. station. “We are very fortunate that they are in serious, but stable condition,” Sheriff Jim McDonnell said late Wednesday. “This could have ended up very differently.” McDonnell said both deputies were in their 30s, and that each had over 10 years of experience and were “very seasoned.” Advertisement One of the suspects was killed in the shootout, another was injured and a third was arrested at the scene, authorities said. The names of the suspects have not been released. The situation unfolded about 6:35 p.m. when the two deputies responded to a call of an assault at the park. The suspects had pointed a gun at a person, who called 911, McDonnell said. The suspects opened fire from a car as the deputies approached, McDonnell said. More deputies arrived at the scene and the firefight continued. The backup deputies opted not to wait for ambulances and instead took the two wounded deputies to County-USC hospital in their cruisers, McDonnell said. hannah.fry@latimes.com Twitter: @Hannahnfry<doc-sep>Cristina Silva USA TODAY LOS ANGELES – Two Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department deputies were wounded by gunfire Wednesday while chasing a suspect. The deputies were taken to an area hospital for treatment, and one suspect was killed in the shooting, officials said. "Preliminary info @EastLALASD Deputy Involved Shooting. 2 Deputies struck by gunfire and transported to a local hospital. 1 Suspect deceased at scene. @LASDHQ Homicide investigating. More info later," a tweet from the department read. L.A. Sheriff Jim McDonnell wrote on Twitter, "Getting briefed on the deputy-involved shooting. Asking for prayers for our two deputies, their families. Heading to the hospital now. #LASD." The deputies were both in stable condition, Nicole Nishida, a spokeswoman for the Sheriff’s Department, told the Los Angeles Times. The deputies had stopped a vehicle transporting four men before the gunfire erupted at about 6:37 p.m., according to local media reports. CBSLA reported that the deputies were investigating an assault complaint near Ruben F. Salazar Park in East Los Angeles. Three of the suspects were later put in custody, according to the media reports. The department warned residents to stay away from the area, tweeting: "#LASD Police Activity at 3000 blk Whittier blvd Los Angeles. Avoid the area. PIO Responding." So far this year, 41 officers across the nation have died from gunfire wounds, according to the Officer Down Memorial Page.<doc-sep>New details emerged Thursday afternoon about a gunfight in East L.A. that left two Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies wounded and a suspected gang member dead. The incident began Wednesday evening when three people in a black BMW approached another trio at the intersection of Bonnie Beach Place and 6th Street in East L.A. and asked which gang the group belonged to, said Sheriff’s Lt. Scott Hoglund. The trio replied that they were not part of a gang. Hoglund said one of the passengers in the BMW pulled out a gun before the car drove off. The trio called the sheriff’s station in East L.A. and reported an assault with a deadly weapon. A short time later, about a mile from where the call originated, deputies spotted the BMW at Ruben F. Salazar Park on Whittier Boulevard. A sheriff’s cruiser carrying a deputy and a civilian law enforcement technician, who was riding along as part of her training, followed the BMW into the park. Two other patrol cars were also approaching when the BMW came to an abrupt stop. Advertisement “The driver exited and began shooting,” Hoglund said. “The deputies began firing.” The BMW’s driver, identified as Rene Herrera, 39, was shot and killed at the scene. A firearm was recovered under his body, Hoglund said. A passenger, Fernando Cruz, 18, was struck by gunfire and remains in critical condition at a hospital, Hoglund said. Another passenger, 18-year-old Hector Martinez, fled and was later arrested and booked on suspicion of attempted murder of a police officer. Authorities looked for a possible fourth suspect but determined there were only three. Hoglund said Herrera had a long criminal history and that all three men were documented gang members from the area. One deputy was struck in the jaw and remains in a hospital. Another deputy, who was shot in the upper chest, was released Thursday, officials said. Sheriff Jim McDonnell said both deputies were in their 30s, each with more than 10 years of experience. The lawmen were not identified. The presence of a civilian Sheriff’s Department employee in one of the patrol cars became a focus of part of a news conference department officials gave about the shooting Thursday after a candidate for sheriff said the incident revealed understaffing in the department. Retired Lt. Alex Villanueva, who is challenging McDonnell in the November election, alleged that the civilian was assigned to the patrol car so that the vehicle — which is meant to carry two deputies — would appear on time records to be fully staffed. The scenario would allow the department to avoid paying overtime to a deputy, Villanueva said. Advertisement Civilians “are not equipped to do the job. They don’t have vests, they don’t have firearms, they don’t have the means to defend themselves. And then it places the extra burden on the deputy because now the deputy has the risk in front of them, and then the liability next to him,” Villanueva said at a separate news conference Thursday. Chronic deputy shortages in the department have contributed to high overtime payments. This year, the department projected a $40-million deficit due in large part to personnel costs. But McDonnell denied Villanueva’s allegations and said his challenger was using the shooting for political advantage. McDonnell said the civilian law enforcement technician was doing a routine ride-along after a deputy who normally would have been assigned to the patrol car called in sick. The law enforcement technician works at the East L.A. station as a call-taker and dispatcher, he said. Advertisement “Tragically last night she was put in harm’s way because of the actions of some individuals that were out there at Salazar Park,” McDonnell said. “It has nothing to do with staffing. “ The civilian was riding in the patrol car driven by the deputy who was shot in the jaw, officials said. The investigation into the shooting is ongoing. maya.lau@latimes.com Twitter: @mayalau<doc-sep>
EAST LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — Two Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies were seriously wounded and a suspect was killed in a gun battle Wednesday night in East L.A. following a chase. The deputies, one shot in the shoulder and the other in the jaw, were in stable condition as of Thursday morning. A second suspect was hospitalized with undisclosed injuries and a third was arrested. The incident began before 6:20 p.m. when deputies responded to a report of an assault with a deadly weapon at 6th Street and Bonnie Beach Place. The two responding deputies spotted a vehicle with the three suspects and began to follow it, the sheriff’s department reports, leading to a slow-speed chase. The vehicle then came to a stop in Salazar Park off Whittier Boulevard. At that point, one suspect got out of the car and opened fire on the deputies, striking them both, LASD reports. More deputies then responded to the scene and more gunfire was exchanged. Witness Fernando Mercado said he ran outside when he heard gunshots. “Actually, I was sitting in my living room waiting for my wife to come by,” Mercado said. “All of a sudden, we see a black car go by with about three cop cars run after it. First, they were going really slow. I came outside to see what was going on. They jumped the curb at the park.” Mercado said he heard more than a dozen shots. “Possibly more than 15,” he added. During the exchange of gunfire, one of the suspects was shot and killed. A second suspect was somehow injured and a third was arrested at the scene, the sheriff’s department said. Meanwhile, the two wounded deputies were transported to nearby LAC+USC Medical Center by their fellow deputies in patrol cars. “For any of us to decide to transport someone as opposed to waiting for paramedics is something that you’ll live with for the rest of your life,” Sheriff Jim McDonnell said. “Thankfully, in this case, the decision was a good one. They transported them to a trauma center.” McDonnell met with the deputies’ families before speaking to reporters Wednesday night from the hospital. “We’re very fortunate that they’re in serious but stable condition,” McDonnell said. “This could’ve ended up very differently tonight.” McDonnell described the two deputies as “seasoned veterans” in their 30s. “Both have over 10 years on the job,” McDonnell said. “I don’t want to go into details on the injuries in the upper body, but they’re in good hands here at this hospital.” Salazar Park was still closed Thursday morning while the sheriff’s department investigates. No names were released. The crime for which the suspects were initially wanted was not confirmed.