Thread: L.A. County Sheriff's Deputy Shot to Death -Leaving for Work

L.A. IS OUT OF CONTROL!!!

County sheriff's deputy leaving for work shot to death in Cypress Park


Juan Abel Escalante, a 27-year-old father of three who worked at the Men's Central Jail, is killed in a drive-by shooting in an area that has been troubled by gang feuds.

By J.P. Renaud and Andrew Blankstein, Los Angeles Times Staff Writers
August 3, 2008

A Los Angeles County sheriff's deputy leaving his Cypress Park home for work at the Men's Central Jail was killed in a drive-by shooting early this morning, Los Angeles police said.

Juan Abel Escalante, 27, a father of three, died near his car shortly after the 5:40 a.m. shooting at Aragon Avenue between Maceo Street and Thorpe Avenue, police said.



Video: Off-duty sheriff's deputy killed in drive-by attack
Police said a white, four-door vehicle approached the 2 1/2 -year veteran. Numerous gunshots were fired from the vehicle, striking the deputy.

"Today is a very difficult day," said Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca, who was on the scene along with LAPD Chief William J. Bratton. "There are people within our Sheriff's Department that are grieving, as am I."

Escalante and his family were living at his parents' house, where he grew up, Baca said. He was in the process of buying a home in Pomona.

Baca called Escalante, who was a U.S. military veteran, "a local success story" and a deputy who was "dedicated and hard-charging in the best sense of the word."

"He lived up to the dream of serving his country, serving his county and honoring his family," Baca said.

Police officers wouldn't say whether the deputy was in uniform, or how many shots were fired. Rookie deputies typically work in county jails for their first assignments.

"We have no information about the suspect," said LAPD Deputy Chief Sergio Diaz. "The best detectives in our Police Department are handling this case."

A neighbor, Gloria Ruiz, said that her son and Escalante grew up together and had both served in Iraq. She said he had a strict upbringing and his mother "would gleam whenever he had good grades."

Bratton described the area as a historically troubled one because of a feud between the gangs in the Cypress Park and Glassell Park areas, but said that it had been quiet in recent months after an LAPD raid earlier this year.

In an incident that occurred just a few blocks away from today's shooting, a 37-year-old man was fatally shot more than a dozen times in February by suspected gang members as he held the hand of a 2-year-old girl, who was picked up by a passerby and carried to safety.

Police officers later found themselves in a gun battle after they pulled over the suspected gunmen's vehicle and one of the car's occupants began firing an AK-47. None of the officers was injured, but one gunman was killed and another wounded.

Thousands were forced to stay in their homes during the shootout, and several schools were locked down.

Today's death was the second in recent years in which a sheriff's deputy was fatally shot while leaving for work.

In March 2006, Deputy Maria Cecilia Rosa was killed in Long Beach shortly before 6 a.m. as she was leaving a friend's house for work at the Inmate Reception Center at Men's Central Jail in Los Angeles. The shooting was found to be a botched robbery.

In May, the gunman in the shooting was convicted and sentenced to death, and an accomplice was sentenced to life in prison for the slaying.

jp.renaud@latimes.com

andrew.blankstein@latimes.com


http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me ... 8863.story

The police murders are coming across the border

This was not just a "drive-by shooting", at this hour of the morning, and upon a police officer, this was a planned assassination.

W

I agree, W. If he was leaving for work, he must have been in uniform. I think even the dumbest of gangbangers can tell an officer's uniform from civilian clothes. This WAS an assassination.

Just keep those sanctuary polices in effect. We will be seeinig more of this. These killings will be on the head of Anthony Villian. I hope Moore is elected mayor soon. What a difference a new mayor will make.

More of that Mexican "culture" coming our way. And the police are helpless to stop it. We need Moore and a new police chief.

How many more killings of Americans will it take to convince authorities to crack down?

Originally Posted by vortex

How many more killings of Americans will it take to convince authorities to crack down?

Unfortunately the murders will continue until the victim happens to be an important political figure or member of that family. Then we might see some changes.

Originally Posted by ALIPAC

This was not just a "drive-by shooting", at this hour of the morning, and upon a police officer, this was a planned assassination.

W

You're right, William...this had to be planned!

My first thought was that it was a 'warning' to hispanic police officers. Just like the narco gangs in Mexico are threatening the lives of the Federales, this sounds like a threat to hispanics who are working for the LAPD. The gangs and drug cartels control the streets and the elected officials in L.A. and the narco wars are heating up! I'm beginning to wonder how many corrupt hispanic police officers have infiltrated LAPD! Three out of four new recruits are now hispanic!

Originally Posted by butterbean

Originally Posted by vortex

How many more killings of Americans will it take to convince authorities to crack down?

Unfortunately the murders will continue until the victim happens to be an important political figure or member of that family. Then we might see some changes.

Several years ago, the granddaughter of the former L.A. Police Chief, Bernard Parks, was killed in a gang shoot-out. He is now a member of the LA City Council. And he is opposed to Jamiel's Law!!!