Officer Wounded In Pomona Shootout; 2 Suspects At Large
POMONA (CBSLA) — A manhunt is ongoing for two suspects who were allegedly involved in a shootout which left a Pomona police officer wounded Thursday evening.
The situation unfolded at around 7:15 p.m. in the 300 block of Orchid Lane, near Angela and Chanslor streets.
According to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, the Pomona police officer was on patrol when he encountered a group of three men in an area known for gang activity. A brief interaction occurred before shots were exchanged between the officer and the group.
The officer was struck in the leg, the sheriff's department said, and one of the three suspects was also struck twice in the upper torso. The other two suspects fled.
The officer was transported to a nearby hospital where he was treated and released.
The wounded suspect, a man in his 30s, barricaded himself in a nearby apartment complex after the shooting. He was taken into custody just after 8 p.m. A semi-automatic handgun was also recovered. Investigators believe he is the man who opened fire on the officer, the sheriff's department said. The suspect was taken to a hospital as well, where he was treated and released into custody. His name was not provided.
It's unclear what exactly prompted the shootout. The two outstanding suspects remained at large as of Friday morning. Authorities used a K9 unit, drone and a chopper to scour the neighborhood around the shooting. The men are considered armed and dangerous.
"Obviously, if one suspect is brazen enough to shoot at a police officer, we also have to assume that his cohorts are brazen enough to do the same," Pomona police Lt. Ryan Rodriguez told reporters.
The injured officer is a five-year veteran of the department, Rodriguez said.
"We are glad that he's alive and well," Rodriguez said. "We thank him and all the men and women that serve in our profession for doing what they do."
