Los Angeles County District Attorney

Long Beach Officer Wounded in Shootout Was Shot By Fellow Lawman

An officer wounded in a shootout with a gunman in Long Beach was hit by a fellow lawman, ballistics analysis shows.

The unidentified officer was hit while in a gun battle Sunday night when police responded to reports of a shooting in the 3000 block of Artesia Boulevard.

"The bullet recovered from the injured officer came from a different officer who was returning fire at the suspect," a Long Beach Police Department spokesman said Tuesday.

However another round collected from the wall directly behind the injured officer did come from the suspect’s gun, according to forensic analysis. The ballistic evidence also shows the suspect, identified as 31-year-old Eric Arroyo of Long Beach, had fired at more than one lawman during the shootout, according to police.

The evidence will form an important part of the case being filed against the suspect, in which he is charged with two counts of attempted murder of a police officer. The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office will consider the case.

Arroyo allegedly came out of an apartment and allegedly opened fire on officers as they made their way through a courtyard. The officers fired back, striking Arroyo.

"Despite being shot, the suspect resisted officers and an electronic control device was deployed to take him into custody," police said in a news release.

Arroyo was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. He was booked on a charge of attempted murder.

Police said they recovered Arroyo's gun - a revolver.

The officer wounded in the shootout is expected to recover after undergoing surgery, police said Monday.

A second officer suffered minor injuries while taking Arroyo into custody, police said.

Contact Us