Sheriff: 4 Arrested In Fatal Shooting Of LAPD Officer Fernando Arroyos
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — Authorities say they have made four arrests in the fatal shooting of an off-duty LAPD officer who was killed while house-hunting in South LA with his girlfriend.
Officer Fernando Arroyos, 27, had only been with the LAPD for three years, according to Chief Michel Moore.
Arroyos and his girlfriend were looking at homes in the area when he was shot Monday night in an alley near the 8700 block of Beach Street. He was rushed to St. Francis Medical Center in Lynwood, where he was pronounced dead. His girlfriend was not hurt.
Three suspects were seen getting out of a black pickup truck that approached the couple just before the exchange of gunfire. Investigators say they believe Arroyos was the target of an attempted robbery.
On Tuesday, LA County sheriff's investigators said a total of five people – three men and two women – were detained for questioning in the fatal shooting. Authorities have not released any information about the arrests announced Wednesday.
"We'll have more information later on what we can confirm, what individuals were arrested for and other details, but we can't comment further on the case right now because we're still in the middle of investigating," Sheriff Alex Villanueva said Wednesday.
Arroyos' mother, Claudia Membreno wanted everyone to know that her son was her world.
"I love him too much, he's my son, he's my baby, he's only one son," she said. "I don't have a grandson who can say, 'Grandma I love you,' anymore. My heart is just broken because he's only one son. And my mom just passed away one month ago."
Membreno beamed with pride talking about her son who graduated from UC Berkeley with honors.
She said he wanted to become a police officer since he was 10-years-old. CBSLA's Rachel Kim asked Membreno what she would say to the people who took him away from her.
Membreno said, "The first thing I would say, 'Why?' because it was only for the robbery of one chain? That chain is $200. For $200, you take the life of my son? I know I have my dad and my husband but it's different because that is my boy. That is my little baby," she said.
