Posted on 08/04/2008 9:06:15 AM PDT by AuntB
An off-duty Los Angeles County sheriff's deputy was gunned down outside his house at sunrise today in the gang-ridden Cypress Park area of Los Angeles, authorities said.
Deputy Juan Escalante, 27, was a sheriff's deputy for two-and-a-half years, and was assigned to the county's Men's Central Jail, Los Angeles Police said.
Escalante was found by his wife and his mother after a car passed by his house, and someone inside the vehicle fired about five shots, at 5:40 a.m., witnesses said.
Police Chief William Bratton and Sheriff Lee Baca rushed to the scene, and Baca called this "a difficult day."
"We know that the public at large is grieving the loss of a deputy sheriff, a new deputy sheriff who was in the department for just two years, working at our central jail," Baca said.
Neighbors told Los Angeles radio station KNX 1070 that the victim's mother and wife were seen standing over the deputy's body in the street shortly after the neighbors heard five gunshots, and a car speeding by.
Escalante was reportedly a resident in the 3400 block of Thorpe Avenue, and may have been shot as he was going to work.
"As to whether this shooting this morning is gang-related, it is much too early to say," Bratton said at a news conference as police, sheriff's and coroners investigators worked in the neighborhood.
The shooting occurred near Isabel Avenue, a notorious hotbed of gang activity and murders about three miles from the Men's Central Jail.
Bratton said LAPD officers have this year "had major operations against the Avenues Gang, and the Cypress Park Gang" in the neighborhood, a densely-populated section of bungalows and apartment complexes just north of the Los Angeles River near the Pasadena (110) Freeway.
"I would point out however that after those operations earlier this year crime in this area has diminished significantly," Bratton said in remarks broadcast by KNX. "This is the first homicide, now, in several months since the roundup up of most of the gang leadership of the Avenues group."
Just like Old Mexico ...
how does this guy control the mexican mafia FROM high security jail where he is serving a life sentence and has no contact with other prisoners...?
FYI
We need to take a few pages from Sheriff Joe, and do the same here in Cali. Most of the problems in our jails would end immediately.
Eyeamok
The victim was either involved in some type of criminal activity, or this was a gang hit for reasons unknown at this time.
See this one:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2056257/posts
Sheriff’s deputy who was shot dead guarded highly dangerous inmates (Mex. Mafia hit?)
I thoughts gangs just fought with fists and wore black leather jackets and greased their hair back...like West Side Story...
You mean Mexico is an illiterate culture of drugs, poverty and corruption that only rivals Russia in organized crime...?
Do you mean that our government does close to nothing as neighborhoods with the most serious crime up to 2000 was someone getting their house toilet papered or a cat up a tree are now have execution-style killings in their front yard?
You mean 2,000,000 anchor babies with parents who contribute nothing to the tax base affect schools, hospitals, clinics and can affect the economies of counties, states and cities?
You mean that 30-40% of jails are filled with illegal alien criminals is a bad thing and when we try to execute one who raped and killed two teenage girls, Mexico and the ACLU come to its aid?
You mean a government who instructs its citizens to break into the US to send home billions is glad handing with our President is fine?
You mean two border guards do 11 years time for shooting a drug dealer (non-lethal) and the Government does not step in, even after the perp commits another drug crime after being released?
You mean McAmnesty and NoBama will allow 100 million more in if elected.
Sounds pretty dire for YOUR country...
100% accurate.
bastard.
Members of one gang executing a member of a rival gang (the LAPD).
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