Monterey Park police officer, suspect, two bystanders wounded in shoot-out

MONTEREY PARK -- A gun battle between police officers and suspects left
an officer, a suspect and two bystanders wounded, as police scoured
the area for a possible second suspect, authorities said.
Police responded to a call reporting a hit-and-run traffic crash about
4 p.m. at Garfield and Newmark Avenues, Monterey Park police Lt. Rick
Rojas said.
"As soon as the officers arrived on scene, (the suspects) immediately
engaged them with gunfire," the lieutenant said.
One officer was hospitalized with a gunshot wound, Rojas said. He
condition was stable and he was expected to survive.
A man Rojas referred to as the "main suspect" was also shot in the
exchange, and was hospitalized in unknown condition.
Two bystanders were also believed to have been wounded in the
shooting, though their conditions were unclear late Sunday.
At least one additional suspect involved in the shoot-out was believed
to have fled into a nearby neighborhood, police said. A description
was not available.
Sheriff's helicopters circled overhead as Monterey Park and Alhambra
police, assisted by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department,
cordoned off and searched several blocks east of Garfield Avenue along
Newmark Avenue. A SWAT team also joined the search.
Authorities set up their command post at the United Methodist Church,
333 S. Garfield Avenue.
Dozens of curious residents and business people lined Garfield Avenue
and peered from behind yellow police tape to get a glimpse of what was
going on. Many said they heard nothing prior to a sea of police and
sheriff's cars arriving at the scene.
Traffic in both directions of Garfield Avenue was shut down in the area
during the investigation
No further information was available.