Los Angeles Daily News, CA
Feb 8 2008
Shooter’s rampage leaves police, residents shaken
By Jason Kandel, Connie Llanos and Rick Coca, Staff Writers
Article Last Updated: 02/08/2008 02:07:49 AM PST
WINNETKA – A nearly 11-hour standoff and fierce gunbattle with police
in this normally quiet, suburban neighborhood early Thursday left
five people dead – including the first LAPD SWAT officer killed in
city history – and Los Angeles reeling in the wake of the tragedy.
The gunman, identified by relatives and police sources as 20-year-old
Edwin Rivera, was described as a troubled high school dropout still
angry over his mother’s death nine years ago.
After shooting his father and two of his brothers at their home in
the 19800 block of Welby Way, Rivera apparently called 911 about 9
p.m. Wednesday and taunted police with the dare "Come get me."
Four hours later, Officer Randal Simmons, 51, of Palos Verdes, a
20-year veteran of the SWAT team, was dead after being shot in the
neck. Officer James Veenstra, 51, was in critical condition at
Northridge Hospital Medical Center after being shot in the face.
Three other officers suffered minor injuries in the deadly standoff
about a block south of Vanowen Street.
"Today the city of Los Angeles mourns the loss of one of its bravest
guardians, and our thoughts and prayers are with Officer Simmons’
family and all the members of the LAPD at this time," said Mayor
Antonio Villaraigosa, who ordered the city’s flags to be lowered in
honor of the officers.
Both Simmons and Veenstra worked on the Special Weapons and Tactics
team for 20 years, and had spent more than 25 years in the Los
Angeles
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Police Department, said LAPD Assistant Chief Jim McDonnell.
It was the first fatality in the history of the elite LAPD SWAT team
created in 1967.
"I want to say how deeply saddened we are this morning that we lost a
member of our LAPD family," McDonnell said. "Our hearts and prayers
go out to these families at this tough time."
Area’s silence shattered
Residents of the usually tranquil, tree-lined neighborhood said the
silence was shattered late Wednesday with the sounds of police sirens
and helicopters.
"When I heard shots firing, I just didn’t want to go outside. It was
too dangerous," said Efren Martinez, 28, a car-dealership employee
who couldn’t go to work Thursday because his driveway was blocked by
police vehicles.
"I always walk with my baby here," said Elizabeth Gomez, a
neighborhood resident. "I won’t be walking by myself around here
anymore."
Reginalda Mejia said her sense of security has been shattered.
"Something like this had never happened before," Mejia said in
Spanish. "I don’t know how we’re going to feel safe anymore."
Details of what led to the deadly incident were unclear late Thursday
but relatives said Edwin Rivera killed his father, Gerardo Rivera,
and two older brothers, Andy, 25, and Edgar, 23.
A fourth brother, William, did not live at the house and was not
there at the time.
LAPD Chief William Bratton said the shooting suspect had a shotgun
and a handgun.
The incident began to unfold about 9 p.m. Wednesday when a police
dispatcher reported a 911 call in which a man said he had killed
three relatives.
The dispatcher was overheard saying the man taunted police with,
"Come get me."
For several hours after responding, police were led to believe there
were other people alive inside the house, said Deputy Chief Michel
Moore.
Officers interviewed several of Rivera’s relatives and efforts were
made to contact
him, with family trying to persuade him to surrender.
"Unfortunately, the suspect had no contact with us and made no effort
to surrender," Moore said.
Simmons, Veenstra shot
Finally, McDonnell said, SWAT officers entered the residence shortly
after 12:30 a.m. to try to rescue those inside, triggering a
gunbattle in which Simmons and Veenstra were shot.
Amid the hail of gunfire, officers found three men lying on the floor
of the home, one possibly still alive. The man was dragged into the
front yard, but was pronounced dead, police said.
Meanwhile, workers with the Los Angeles Fire Department pulled the
fatally wounded Simmons and Veenstra out of the house in the line of
fire.
"A lot of people don’t know that it was Fire Department personnel
that went in there to take the officers out, even while they were
under a hail of bullets," said Sgt. Richard Rakitis, who visited
Veenstra at the hospital.
"They deserve a lot of credit."
The LAFD was among resources across the city – including
counterterrorism units – that responded to the tragic turn of events
as Rivera remained barricaded inside the home.
Some 200 officers, including SWAT team members, surrounded the home
while an armored SWAT vehicle was at the scene and helicopters
circled overhead.
Officials said it wasn’t the first time Edwin Rivera had been
involved with the police.
"We’ve had some dealings with him," said Lt. Tom Smart of the West
Valley Division gang unit. "He’s got some gang ties, a rap sheet and
some mental health issues."
Final hours of ordeal
A female cousin of Rivera who declined to give her name said he
wasn’t a gang member and didn’t use drugs.
By 5 a.m., Rivera remained in the home and police threw tear gas into
the house, prompting a woman to flee out the back door.
Alex Uribe, a cousin of Rivera’s, said the woman was Rivera’s
stepmother. Uribe said the father, a Salvadoran immigrant, and
brothers worked for a trucking company.
As a fire erupted inside the home, police said, the gunman appeared
to be trying to purposely hide from officers by ducking between
mattresses.
Moore said he appeared to be making "every effort to further attack
and ambush police."
Finally, apparently overcome by smoke and flames, Rivera came out of
the house and was shot in the head by an LAPD sniper, according to a
high-ranking department source.
About 8:30 a.m., the LAPD confirmed that Rivera was dead and said he
died sometime after 7:30 a.m.
Chief Bratton said several of the victims were badly burned and
police were waiting for coroner’s results before releasing
identifications.
It remained unclear what led to the shootings, or why the other three
men were killed inside the house.
Family details emerge
Officers took many of Rivera’s relatives to the AGBU Manoojian
Demirdjian School auditorium, a private Armenian campus near the
house, for counseling and questioning, several family members said.
About two dozen family members gathered in front of the school’s
auditorium and called the Rivera brothers "good and hardworking
kids."
Uribe said Edwin Rivera was the youngest of four brothers and
described him as quiet and introverted. Uribe said Edwin had shown
signs of depression after his mother died nine years ago.
"We still don’t understand what happened," Uribe said. "We never
imagined something like this."
Jose Ortiz, 21, a friend of Rivera’s, said he had attended and
dropped out of Taft High School with him. Ortiz said he used to hang
out at the Rivera home often, lifting weights and talking.
"I don’t know what would make him do something like this," he said.
By 6 p.m. Thursday, 150 officers remained at the scene. People who
lived in the block around the shooting were finally allowed to return
to their homes under police escort.
Officers at the scene late Thursday sported black bands over their
badges.
"We keep these in our lockers and hope we never have to take them
out," Sgt. Frank Preciado said with tears in his eyes.