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.
According to a report obtained by NBC Los Angeles, despite the dispatcher's failure to communicate the imminent danger over the radio to the three deployed officers, the information was instead entered into a computer-aided dispatch system. Santana's sister, reflecting on the tragedy, expressed her conviction that the outcome could have been different if the officers had been warned vocally. "It’s just I feel if they would have voiced it, it would have been different," Jessica Santana told FOX LA. "That’s just what gets me, because my brother would still be here."
In the investigation that followed, investigators established that while the information about Flores' state and armament was not broadcast, officers could have seen the details on their patrol vehicle's computer terminals. Detective Amber Montenegro clarified that all the necessary information was available to Santana and Paredes before they arrived on the scene. "They definitely had all the information in their boxes before they arrived, so they were able to look at the call and review it," Montenegro stated in a briefing with Santana's family, as per NBC Los Angeles.
El Monte Police Chief Jake Fisher, in light of the dispatcher's actions not relaying the threat over the radio, reassured the public of his department's commitment to officer safety and continuous improvements. Following the loss of the officers, enhancements in communication systems, protective equipment, and mental health support have been implemented. These include ballistic windshields for new police vehicles, tactically portable shields, advanced drone technology, and the anticipated acquisition of an armored vehicle, according to information provided by Fisher to FOX LA. Fisher's department awaits the District Attorney's official clearance of all involved officers with expected findings to vindicate their actions.
