Retired police officer reflects on a violent night in Santa Monica

LOS ANGELES - A violent night on the job is never too far from memory for a retired Santa Monica Police Officer. Cristina Coria still has pins in her arm after being shot during a hostage stand-off nearly twenty years ago.

That violent night on the Santa Monica Pier happened in the early morning hours after a Friday night leading up to Fourth of July of Saturday. Coria was on duty when a known gang member running from police took hostages inside the pier's arcade and opened fire on the crowd and police outside.

Three officers were hit and three innocent bystanders. That hostage stand-off lasted five hours before the suspect surrendered.

FOX 11 took a look at old footage with Coria. It was video of that breaking news -- video of the gunman in handcuffs, and video of her in the hospital days after. Her story alone is emotional but add in the fact that her father, a retired Santa Monica PD officer had been murdered.

She was 26 years old when she was shot and wounded. Coria fought to get back to work after a year off the job.

Coria retired in 2008 on disability with a series of job related injuries. She notes her Workers Comp case with the city is still unsettled.

Coria shares her story publicly and is a volunteer for a number of charities. She is working on an app to help injured first responders and works for American Police Beat magazine.