Investigators looking for suspect involved in shooting of off-duty Inglewood Police officer
An off-duty Inglewood Police officer was shot Thursday morning in Lennox, an unincorporated part of Los Angeles County, and investigators are still trying to figure out exactly what happened.
The incident occurred at around 10 a.m., outside an apartment complex on Osage Avenue, near 111th Street, and in front of Alexandria Renteria's home.
"He didn't seem too hurt, but I don't know what actually went down. I just literally seen them, like, putting him in the stretcher. That's it," she said.
Sky9's camera captured the injured officer being taken into Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, where he was being treated for injuries that were not life threatening.
Inglewood Mayor James Butts said the officer was off-duty and in plain clothes at the time of the shooting. The mayor also said that the officer was hit twice by gunfire, once in the hip and once in the arm.
The LA County Sheriff's Department is handling the criminal investigation.
"The officer was at the location, possibly either attempting to retrieve property or something to do ... that we learn now might've been domestic violence with a family member," Lt. Charles Calderaro, with the LASD, said.
Detectives are not saying what led up to the violent confrontation or the connection between the injured officer and the shooter. It's unclear if the officer fired off any shots, but the suspect ran away.
"All we know is that he possibly entered a vehicle and fled the location," the Lt. said.
One weapon and ballistic evidence were found at the scene.
For the people living in the Lennox community, a shooting involving a police officer is rare, but for some younger mothers in the area, the fear of gun violence is a constant.
"We're always alert. We keep our dogs out, our gate is always locked," said neighbor Marilyn Ruiz.
Renteria echoed the worries.
"It's kind of scary because you want your kids to have a sage environment to be playing, and you're like iffy to even take your kids out. So it's kind of like heartbreaking that stuff like this does happen."
While authorities have yet to release a suspect description, they did say that the officer is in stable condition.
