4 arrests made in murder of off-duty LAPD officer in South LA
LOS ANGELES - Four people have been arrested in connection with the murder of Los Angeles Police Department officer Fernando Arroyos, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department confirmed Wednesday morning.
Arroyos was shot and killed while off-duty Monday night, while house hunting with his girlfriend in South Los Angeles. Investigators believe the shooting was part of an armed attempted robbery.
Officer Fernando Arroyos is pictured in a provided "in memoriam" image.
According to law enforcement sources, five people — three men and two women — were detained Tuesday night in connection with the murder investigation. LASD did not confirm whether any of those detained were any of the four people arrested Wednesday, and did not release any other information. The five detainees were being held on lesser charges. Officials noted three of those detained are documented gang members.
The shooting occurred Monday around shortly after 9 p.m. in an alley behind a home on 87th Street in the Florence-Firestone area.
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Officials say Arroyos was not in uniform at the time of the shooting. He and his girlfriend were looking at a house they were interested in buying, taking pictures of the alleyway when a black pickup truck pulled up near the couple. Three men got out, and the confrontation led to the suspects exchanging gunfire with Arroyos. Arroyos was taken to a nearby hospital where he later died from his injuries.
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Arroyos was a three-year veteran of the department, assigned to the Olympic Division. He leaves behind his mother, father and stepfather. He was a graduate of Crenshaw High School and UC Berkeley.
"He was the only child who had a promising future. A bright future that was taken away viciously over a street robbery," LAPD Chief Michel Moore said. "We know that there are people out there who are responsible for this, and I am absolutely convinced in our discussions with investigators that we will identify and bring to justice the person or persons responsible for this murder."
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