Three Los Angeles Police Department officers were involved in a shooting, that occurred just after 1:00 am Sunday morning in an unincorporated area of Apple Valley.
San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department deputies responded to a shooting call at the Stoddard Wells Off-Highway Vehicle Area at a campsite. They arrived to find three LAPD employees, one an off-duty police officer, suffering from a gunshot wound.
The officer was airlifted to a nearby hospital and is in stable condition and expected to survive. A second employee, an off-duty supervisor, was not injured by the third accused employee, identified as Police Officer III Ismael Tamayo, assigned to the Department’s Newton Division.
Deputies said, “the three friends were camping and shooting guns at the OHV area over the weekend. Early Sunday morning, for reasons still under investigation, Ismael Tamayo shot the victim, striking him in the upper body.”
Deputies located Tamayo nearby and he was taken into custody. At the time of his arrest he was in possession a firearm.
Ismael Tamayo was booked for attempted murder.
The Department is cooperating with the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Office in their criminal investigation.
In response to the arrest, Police Chief Michel Moore expressed disappointment and frustration, “The events overnight culminating in the serious injury to our off-duty officer, apparently at the hands of another member of this Department, give me great concern. I spoke earlier this morning with San Bernardino Sheriff John McMahon, pledging our full support of their criminal investigation. I am thankful our injured officer is in stable condition and expected to survive. I am committed to determining what and how this occurred.”
Officer Tamayo has been relieved of his police powers pending the outcome of the criminal and administrative investigation.
It was unclear what events led up to the shooting.
