L.A. District Attorney George Gascón to hold press conference on shooting of El Monte police officers
Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón will hold a news conference Tuesday afternoon where he plans to address mounting information and facts surrounding a shooting which left two El Monte Police officers dead a week ago.
The conference will be held at the Los Angeles Hall of Justice at 3 p.m.
Corporal Michael Paredes and Officer Joseph Santana were both fatally shot on June 14 as they investigated reports of a stabbing at the Siesta Inn. As they approached one of the motel's rooms, they were met with gunfire from the suspect identified as Justin Flores.
After exiting the room, Flores was then gunned down by responding officers and pronounced dead at the scene.
Paredes and Santana both died at the hospital after being rushed to a nearby trauma center for treatment. They have since been remembered by fellow law enforcement for having "paid the ultimate sacrifice" by putting their lives on the line while on duty, and honored by their hometown of El Monte in a series of memorials and a candlelight vigil on Saturday.
Gascón's name has been tied to the incident on several occasions, initially after rumors that his office would pay for Flores' funeral made headlines across the Southland last week, to which he offered a fierce denial. But also as he was blamed for the officer's deaths by Officer Santana's mother, who said "he (Flores) probably got out because of Gascon letting all these criminals out."
