El Monte Officers Killed in Ambush Unaware of Armed Suspect’s Drug Use Due to Dispatcher Oversight

A chilling oversight by a California police dispatcher may have led to the deaths of two El Monte Police officers who were ambushed and killed by a convicted gang member armed with a gun and high on drugs. The incident, which unfolded on June 14, 2022, ended with officer fatalities and the gunman taking his own life. A 911 call recording reveals that the dispatcher was alerted by Maria Zepeda that her daughter’s husband, Justin Flores, was armed and under the influence of PCP and methamphetamine, but this crucial detail did not reach officers Joseph Santana, 31, and Cpl. Michael Paredes, 42, via radio communication.

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