Dennis RomeroWe're still trying to wrap our head around this one.
Sheriff's officials say three suspects walked up to a group of five people, including three deputies, and started shit at an East L.A. King Taco parking lot early Saturday. The deputies identified themselves, the suspects backed off, and the cops headed to their cars.
Here's where things got brazen:
One of the suspects, identified by Sheriff's Lt. Kimberly Unland as 24-year-old Anthony Carlin, allegedly walked back up to a deputy and stabbed him in the abdomen without warning.
One of the other deputies heard the commotion and rushed to help is coworker by drawing a gun and ordering Carlin to drop it. But the suspect allegedly lunged at that cop as well, and the deputy opened fire.
It all started about about 3:50 a.m., at a King Taco parking lot in the 4500 Block of East Third Street, Unland reports.
The group of five — sheriff's officials aren't saying what they were doing off-duty in the area at nearly 4 a.m. but one television report indicated they were at the restaurant — was headed to the lot when the trio walked up and asked what the people were doing there.
The cops ID'd themselves following some kind of argument, and the three walked off until Carlin allegedly came back and was ultimately sent to a hospital in stable condition following surgery.
King Taco's East L.A. location.; Credit: King Taco
According to Unland:
… Investigators at the scene were told by witnesses they heard a Deputy identify himself as a deputy sheriff and order Suspect Carlin to drop the knife. These witnesses also saw Suspect Carlin lunge toward that Deputy with the knife in his hand.
The wounded deputy was sent into surgery but was said to be stable.
Carlin will be booked on suspicion of attempted murder of a peace officer after he gets out of the hospital, Unland said.
The other two suspects, 24-year-old Michael Gomez, and 22-year-old Alexander Galarza apparently got roped back into the situation after they had tried to walk away:
Both were booked on suspicion of attempted murder on a peace officer.
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