2 Officers Shots, 1 Killed in California

ABC NEWS–One officer was killed and another injured after a parolee opened fire on them after they responded to a traffic accident earlier today in California, police officials said.

The officers had responded to the crash where a driver, who police said was driving a stolen car, rear-ended multiple other vehicles in Whittier, California around 8 a.m.

Lt. John Corina, of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office, said that the unnamed suspect moved his car around the corner after the accident.

When the officers arrived on scene the other drivers, who had refused to give the suspect a ride, indicated that the suspect had moved his car.

As the officers, who did not know at the time that the car was stolen, contacted the suspect and went to pat him down, he pulled out a gun and opened fire, police said.

“When they got the call, it was just a traffic accident and they didn’t know what they had,” Corina told reporters. “When they went to contact him that’s when the shooting happened.”

Corina said that suspect, was approximately 26 and a “known gang member,” was armed with a semi-automatic handgun. The officers then returned fire, wounding the suspect, officials said.

The suspect had recently been released on parole two weeks ago and has made statements to police.

Both officers and the suspect were hospitalized after the shooting and one officer died at the hospital. The surviving officer and suspect are currently in stable condition, according to Corina.

ABC News’ Michael Kreisel contributed to this report.