SAN DIEGO, California — Two San Diego police officers were shot late on Thursday, leaving one dead and one fighting for his life overnight.
The San Diego Police Department announced that the second officer came out of surgery in the early Friday morning hours and was expected to survive his injuries. One suspect was also shot and is in custody at the hospital, where he is being treated for injuries.
Officers continued to search for additional suspects and as of Friday afternoon had a house surrounded with a possible suspect inside, according to local Fox 5 news. Residents in the area were given shelter-in-place instructions.
At a Friday media briefing, Police Chief Shelley Zimmerman said, “Our hearts go out to the wife and two kids of fallen Officer Jonathan DeGuzman.” She went on to say, “Please keep the families of Officer’s Jonathan DeGuzman & Wade Irwin in your prayers.” Irwin is the officer that was shot, but is expected to survive. The local news report stated that Zimmerman described the suspect in custody as a “Hispanic male adult.”
Guzman was a 16-year veteran of the department and both officers were on gang-detail, according to the Los Angeles Times. The two officers were shot during a stop in circumstances that Zimmerman said were yet unclear, but it was either a vehicle or pedestrian stop. The report indicated that the officers were wearing body cameras.
“He is a loving, caring husband, father, talked about his family all the time,” said Zimmerman of DeGuzman at a Friday press conference.
The shooting comes just three weeks after five officers were assassinated in Dallas, Texas near the end of a Black Lives Matter protest in early July. Local CBS 8 news reported that a motive is yet unclear in the shootings.
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