Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Southern California gang members charged over killing of two police officers

Federal prosecutors say 10 people linked to a Southern California street gang have been charged with federal crimes, a year after a member shot and killed two suburban police officers

Via AP news wire
Thursday 27 July 2023 18:00 BST

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Ten people linked to a Southern California street gang were charged with federal crimes, a year after a member shot and killed two suburban police officers, authorities announced Wednesday.

Members and associates of the Quiet Village gang in the San Gabriel Valley east of Los Angeles were named in four grand jury indictments and a criminal complaint. Two people were arrested on Wednesday, four were already in custody and another four are fugitives, according to a statement from the U.S. attorney's office.

The charges include conspiracy, violent crimes in aid of racketeering, and drug and gun charges. However, they don’t include the June 14, 2022 killings of two El Monte police officers. The suspect killed himself after the shootings.

Among other allegations, a gang member is charged with killing a woman after opening fire on a car containing a suspected police informant last year. The target wasn’t struck.

The gang also ran a “casita” in Whittier that offered illegal gambling and sold methamphetamine, the U.S. attorney's office said.

The FBI and other law enforcement members of a task force began investigating the gang after a member shot and killed Cpl. Michael Paredes — who was posthumously promoted to sergeant — and Officer Joseph Santana as they entered a motel room to investigate a reported stabbing.

Justin Flores, 35, also traded shots with another officer in a parking lot before shooting himself, authorities said.

“A highly violent gang responsible for the murders of two brave police officers and others has now felt the weight of a collective law enforcement response," U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada said in the statement. "The gang’s days of terrorizing the community stop with today’s federal arrests.”

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in