2 El Monte police officers killed in the line of duty remembered as "valiant heroes" at the Toyota Arena in Ontario

Two El Monte police officers who were killed in the line of duty were remembered today with a memorial service attended by thousands of police officers at the Toyota Arena in Ontario.

The service for Sgt. Michael Paredes and Officer Joseph Santana, who was posthumously promoted to the rank of sergeant, started at 10 a.m., following a procession from El Monte Police Department.

"Like all of us, they chose to be police officers, but they did not choose to be taken from us,'' El Monte police Chief Ben Lowry said. "I want the families to note that there is no way they would willingly allow themselves to be taken from you.

"You were the reason they came to work every day,'' Lowry said. "But they left this world as valiant heroes; Mike and Joseph were heroes. I'm not saying that because they died. I'm saying that because of how they lived. We'll never forget Mike and Joseph. Thank you for sharing them with us. They were the best of us.''

Paredes and Santana were fatally shot on June 14 as they breached room at the Siesta Inn, 10327 Garvey Ave., to confront a reported stabbing suspect. The suspect, 35-year-old Justin William Flores, ran from the room after the shooting and exchanged gunfire with police in the parking lot. He died at the scene of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, according to the Los Angeles County coroner's office.

Both officers lived in Upland, but were raised in El Monte and were married fathers with children.

"My entire life, I've been told I'm my father's daughter,'' Bella Paredes said. "On the days leading up to my father's passing, I began to recognize who he was to me, and what he stood for to the others around him. ... I realized how much I loved him, and just how great of a guy he was.''

A fundraising campaign in honor of the officers set up by the Peace Officers Research Association of California has raised more than $382,000.