Los Angeles: A party being held at a warehouse in the 1900 block of South LosAngeles Street turned violent early Sunday morning. Fights andshootings occurred as officers arrived to break up the party, resultingin an Officer Involved Shooting (OIS) and the Attempt Murder of a LosAngeles Police Officer.
On February 21, 2010, just after midnight, Newton Area Officersresponded to a radio call of a party that had gotten out of control. The party was being held in a warehouse and partygoers were beingcharged to enter. As officers arrived at the location they recognizedthere were a large number of people in attendance, many of whom weregang members. Additional units were requested to assist in breaking upthe party.
Among those responding were Police Officer III Guillermo Calleros, 12years, 9 months with the Department, Police Officer II Brendy Ponce, 7years, 2 months with the Department, and Police Officer II Jesus Parra,4 years, 8 months with the Department. Officers Parra and Calleroswere inside the warehouse dispersing the crowd when they heard shotsbeing fired to the rear of the building.
They immediately went through the rear doors where they saw a suspect,later identified as Donald Trotter, 23 years of age, firing asemi-automatic handgun southbound in the alley, prompting both officersto become involved in an OIS. Trotter ran to a parking lot locatedjust north of the warehouse that was packed with cars. Trotter thenfired directly at officer Ponce who was situated on the east side ofthe parking lot. Officers Ponce and Calleros both returned fire.
Trotter was taken into custody and booked for Attempt Murder of aPolice Officer. A handgun was recovered from under a car that wasassociated with Trotter, as well as one under the passenger seat of thesame car.
As the shooting between Ponce, Calleros and Trotter was occurring, asimultaneous shooting was occurring at the south side of the alley near21st Street. People and vehicles were scrambling to get away from thegunfire. It was quickly determined that the shooter was a 17-year-oldmale Black whose name is being withheld because he is a juvenile. Thejuvenile subject had been firing at several of the party attendees. Hewas arrested for Assault with a Deadly Weapon. A handgun was recoveredfrom a female partygoer, but is not yet confirmed to be the one used inthe shooting.
There were no reported injuries from the gunfire. Force Investigation Division personnel are handling the investigation.