Widow of killer of two officers says she tried a warn them he had a gun; "I'm so deeply sorry"
The widow of the man police say shot and killed two police officers in the Los Angeles County city of El Monte Tuesday evening says she tried to warn them that he had a gun, CBS Los Angeles reports.
Police say they were called to a motel for a report of a stabbing. The two officers, Corporal Michael Paredes and Officer Joseph Santana, came under immediate gunfire as they tried to make contact with the suspect in a room, and the suspect was fatally shot in a gun battle after running from the motel into the parking lot.
El Monte Mayor Jessica Ancona said the officers were "essentially ambushed."
Authorities identified the gunman as Justin Flores, 35, adding that he'd previously served time for vehicle theft and burglary.
Flores was taken away in a body bag Wednesday, several hours after the shooting at a motel.
Flores' widow, Diana Flores, told CBS L.A. the 911 call was made when she was with her husband at the motel.
"I'm so deeply sorry. My condolences for saving me," said an emotional Flores. "I'm so sorry. They didn't deserve that. They were trying to help me."
"I told them before they went in the room 'Don't go in -- he has a gun," she continued.
Diana Flores told CBS L.A. she was trying to get away from her husband but he managed to track her down.
No evidence of a stabbing was found at the scene and it's not clear if anyone else was in the room when the emergency call went out, CBS L.A. says.
Justin Flores had been sentenced to prison time at least twice before Tuesday night's shootout, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
He was sentenced to one year and four months in 2009 for vehicle theft but served less than two months and was ultimately discharged from parole supervision on Nov. 21, 2010.
He was convicted of first-degree burglary in 2011 and was sentenced to serve two years, CDCR officials said. In that case, he served about nine months of his sentence and was discharged from parole supervision on Aug. 7, 2016.
