A gunman who ambushed two Los Angeles police detectives continued shooting at police as he ran off and officers returned fire Tuesday morning in Mid-City, police said.

More than a dozen rounds were fired during the gun battle, police sources said.

In a dramatic ambush between 4 and 4:30 a.m., two undercover burglary detectives returning to the Wilshire Division station at 4861 W. Venice Blvd. were about to drive into the gated parking lot when they were attacked from behind, said Cmdr. Andy Smith.

The detectives had swiped their ID badges at the parking lot security gate and were waiting for it to open when they were ambushed from behind by a gunman.


The gunshots shattered the rear window of the unmarked police car. One of the detectives suffered a wound to the back of the head, either from a bullet or shards of glass, Smith said. The other detective suffered a minor hand injury.

The two detectives were taken to a local hospital, treated and released. The detectives, who were not identified, have been on the force for 11 and 20 years, respectively, Smith said. They are now back at the Wilshire station helping in the search for their attacker.

“They knew that these were police officers or police employees,” Smith said of the gunman. “Anybody willing to take on two police officers outside a police station is obviously a dangerous individual.”

The description of the shooter is vague, police admit. He was described as 30 and 35 years old, wearing all black clothes and a hat. Officers have detained three men but emphasized that it was too early to call them suspects.


“At the end of the day, we may brush these folks off, apologize to them and send them on their way,” Smith said.

The response to Tuesday morning’s shooting was swift. A tactical alert was issued and a 25-block area in Mid-City was shut down. Some 200 officers cordoned off the area between Washington and Pico boulevards and Redondo and Rimpau boulevards as the search continued.

Four K-9 teams were looking street by street while helicopters circled overhead and squad cars were parked every block or so. SWAT officers could be seen patrolling the area.

At the corner of Venice and Crenshaw, a small crowd was gathering.


Val Jones, 48, wondered how she was going to get home.

Wearing sweat pants and a jean jacket, the Mid-City resident lives a few blocks into the cordoned-off area on St. Charles Place. Jones said her friend didn’t have money for the bus so she walked to an ATM at about 6 a.m. to get cash. Police wouldn’t let her back to her house so she grabbed a 7-Up, a bottle of white wine for tonight, and sat on the corner to wait.

“I’m tired, I’m ready to go home and I want some breakfast,” Jones said. “Other than that they have to do what they have to do. I’m fine. I’m glad I used the bathroom before I came out. Also, if it gets to 11 a.m. I’m drinking some wine, how about that?”

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