Written by AARON CASTREJON | CityWatch Editor POMONA - A 15-hour standoff with an armed man accused of shooting to death one Pomona Police officer and wounding another ended about 30 minute ago with the suspect’s surrender, authorities said.
The still-unidentified suspect could be seen in the custody of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Special Enforcement Bureau team, being led in his underwear to the rear of the apartment complex where he barricaded himself and into a Sheriff’s SUV. Michael Olivieri, chief of the Pomona Police Department, spoke briefly about Casillas. “It certainly is a sad day for the Pomona Police Department, it’s a sad day for our community and it’s a sad day for law enforcement in general,” Olivieri said. Casillas joined Pomona Police as a records specialist in December 2014. The following September, Casillas became a jailer. Casillas was hired as a Pomona Police recruit and attended the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Academy. Casillas became a sworn officer last September. Gregory Jonathan Casillas, 25, was a Pomona officer for less than one year before he was fatally shot by an accused reckless driver who led officers on a brief chase. “Greg is a hero, a man to be looked up to. He left his family at home to protect yours. His ultimate sacrifice will never be forgotten,” Olivieri said. Casillas and fellow officers chased the suspect on foot after he crashed a truck in the 1400 block of Palomares Street just after 9 p.m. The suspect opened fire, striking Casillas. A fellow officer attempted to rescue Casillas and ended up being shot in the face, according to Los Angeles County Sheriff Jim McDonnell. “Now, with all of that behind us, the investigation begins,” McDonnell said. “We weren’t able to begin the actual investigation until we were able to secure the scene.” “It has been a long night and it will continue to be a long and thorough investigation,” McDonnell said. Casillas is survived by his parents, two brothers, his wife and two small children. |
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