Sheriff's Deputy Wounded In Fatal Shootout With Suspected Gang Member In Compton

COMPTON, CA — A gunman believed to be a gang member was killed and a deputy was wounded in a deputy-involved shooting during a traffic stop in Compton, authorities said Thursday.

The shooting was reported at 11:40 p.m. Wednesday in the 900 block of North Santa Fe Avenue, according to Deputy Trina Schrader of the Sheriff's Information Bureau.

Two Compton station deputies pulled over a white sedan with three people inside for traffic violations. One of the deputies opened one of the rear passenger doors, and a passenger on that side armed himself with a handgun, pointed it at one of the deputies and opened fire, Schrader said.

The deputy returned fire and the gunman then fired on the second deputy, when a second deputy-involved shooting occurred, Schrader said.

The gunman and one of the deputies were wounded during the shootout and taken to hospitals, where the suspect was pronounced dead and the deputy was treated for his injuries and released, Schrader said.

The deputy's life was saved by his body armor, sheriff's Lt. Joe Mendoza said.

"The men and women of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department put on their uniform every day and night to protect the citizens," Mendoza said. "And every time you stop somebody to try to make the community safer, you never know what the outcome of that traffic stop is going to be. Thankfully, for this deputy, the bullet was stopped by the (protective) vest."

The other deputy was not struck by gunfire, according to Schrader, but NBC4 reported the deputy suffered minor injuries in the incident.

The other two occupants of the vehicle, both women, were detained at the scene pending further investigation, Schrader said.

The gunman's firearm was recovered at the scene.

— City News Service, photo via Shutterstock