Deputy Shot in Back While Sitting on Motorcycle in West Covina
WEST COVINA, Calif. – A Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department deputy was rushed to the hospital on Monday after sustaining a gunshot wound to the back while sitting on his motorcycle at an intersection in West Covina. Sheriff’s officials are appealing to the public for any information that may lead to the identification and capture of the suspect.
Incident Details
The shooting occurred around 2:45 p.m. near the intersection of Barranca Street and North Garvey Avenue, located just north of the 10 Freeway. Deputy Samuel Aispuro, a 43-year-old with over 19 years of service, was waiting at a red light when he was tragically struck by a single bullet from behind. The Sheriff’s Department emphasized that there were no reported prior interactions between the deputy and the suspect.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna provides details on shooting of deputy in West Covina
Sheriff Robert Luna described the chilling incident, stating, “He was sitting on a marked black and white police motorcycle in full uniform and he was shot in the back”. Deputy Aispuro was able to radio for help immediately after the incident, and emergency responders promptly transported him to a nearby hospital for medical treatment.
The injured deputy, in a recording of his own emergency call, is heard saying, “I’ve been shot. It hit the vest. Let me get my notes… The vehicle went westbound on the 10 Freeway from Barranca. Garvey and Barranca”.
Despite the attack, Deputy Aispuro’s life was likely saved by his body armor. Currently, he is in stable condition and receiving treatment at a local hospital. Aispuro, a devoted public servant, is married with two children aged 4 and 2. He serves as part of the Century station and was en route to a training session at the time of the shooting.
Search for the Suspect
Following the shooting, law enforcement initially detained multiple persons of interest at a residence in La Puente. However, they have since released those individuals and are now urging the public for any leads that could aid in identifying the suspect.
Sheriff Luna stated, “He’s a servant and he was shot in the back. We consider this individual to be a public safety risk at this point.”
The only available information regarding the suspect vehicle is that it is a white sedan with tinted windows. It was last observed heading westbound on the 10 Freeway from Barranca. Anyone with information is urged to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department at (323)890-5500.
Sheriff Luna emphasized the importance of community involvement, saying, “Somebody saw something. We need to get this person off the street.”