Suspect In Parole Agent Shooting Taken Into Custody; 210 Freeway Reopened
LAKE VIEW TERRACE (CBS) — Traffic was slowly moving once again Wednesday evening after a parolee suspected in the shooting of a parole agent in the Lake View Terrace area was taken into custody.
The shooting near Foothill Boulevard and Brainerd Avenue occurred about 1:20 p.m. The wounded officer was believed to be a parole agent with the state Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
Law enforcement source told the Los Angeles Times the man sought was Steven Hoff, 43, who has a record of burglary and weapons possession.
A parole task force apparently showed up to search Hoff's living quarters, and he opened fire, according to reports from the scene.
Los Angeles police Lt. Andy Neiman said the parole officer was shot in the face in front or inside the residence.
"He was struck in the face and taken to the hospital where he is in serious but stable condition," Neiman said.
Scores of police sealed off the area, and California Highway Patrol officers closed the Foothill (210) Freeway between its junction with the Ronald Reagan (118) Freeway to the Sunland area, creating a huge traffic jam for several hours.
Two schools in the area, Brainerd Elementary School, a public school with no students present at the time, and Delphi Academy, a private school, were on lockdown during the search.
"I was actually very happy because we got to skip most of school playing Legos today," said student Anthony Artunian.
Artunian's mother wasn't as enthusiastic about the ordeal.
"It was very scary -- we weren't sure what was going on, Ashley Artunian said. "The school had been locked down and we just wanted to come to pick him up."
When the search was over several school buses took the children to a designated area near Hansen Dam to meet their families.
Neiman called the suspect a two-striker, meaning he has two felony convictions and could be sent to prison for life if convicted of a third. Neiman did not know what Hoff did to violate his parole.
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