2 LA County Deputies Ambushed in Patrol Vehicle

Two Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies were shot multiple times Saturday, apparently in an ambush without provocation, while sitting in their patrol car at a Metro rail station.

Sheriff Alex Villanueva said in a late-night news conference that the 31-year-old female deputy and 24-year-old male deputy both underwent surgery Saturday evening. Both graduated from the academy 14 months ago, he said.

The wounded deputies were able to radio for help, he said. Villanueva, whose department has come under fire during recent protests over racial unrest, expressed frustration over anti-police sentiment as he urged people to pray for the officers.

“It dismays me,” he said.

Capt. Kent Wegener said officers were blanketing the area in search of a suspect seen on video opening fire with a pistol.

“We have a very, very generic description,” he said.

The department shared a video of the incident in a Twitter post that shows a person open fire through the passenger-side window of the patrol car.

“The gunman walked up on the deputies and opened fire without warning or provocation,” a department statement said.

The incident happened around 7 p.m. a short distance from the Compton sheriff’s station.