LA County Deputy Killed, LA Co. SWAT Responds

[Swat1]

As I write this, a large residence in Santa Clarita inside LA County is on fire with a suspect who killed a Sheriffs Deputy barricaded inside. The ATF with the assistance of a few Sheriffs Deputies were executing a search warrant at the residence for weapons violations and with an active arrest warrant to apprehend the subject for impersonating a US Marshal. The ATF and Deputies were met with gunfire and the victim deputy was shot in the upper torso (only info available right now). LA Co SWAT responded and gas was initiated. The structure is currently fully engulfed.

All for now, I will update later.

A sad day.

[Swat1]

Deputy Jake Kuredjian of the LA County Sheriffs Office was killed in the line of duty this morning August 31, 2001 at 9am, when he was shot in the upper body by suspect James Beck. The Bureau of Alcoholo, Tobacco and Firearms, agents of the US Marshals Service and Deputies of the LA County Sheriffs Office were serving a federal warrant at the suspects home in Santa Clarita, CA. It appears as though the suspect is deceased in the fire that ensued after LA County SWAT inserted gas into the residence.

Swat1*

[Huey One Four]

My condolences to the family.

RH

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Ake Ake Kia Kaha

[dragonrain]

My thoughts and Prayers are with the family, Friends and other officers.


Case

[Swat1]

Received this email concerning a press release from LASD.

Swat1*


Subject:
LASD Deputy
Date:
Mon, 3 Sep 2001 09:49:17 EDT
From:
Removed for privacy
To:
Removed for privacy

Ken,
I am attaching an official bulletin regarding the reporting that our
deputy
was killed by friendly fire. This is ABSOLUTELY untrue and we are
taking
action to correct what is clearly a lie. I have translated it into MS
Word
for you, as it came to me in Word Perfect. Other than that, it is
EXACTLY as
we are releasing it to the press. You'll note that it was released by
our
Sheriff himself. I can count on one hand the times that has happened my
entire career. Needless to say, we are upset and you are the best
gateway to
the California tactical community that I'm aware of.
Sid


SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT BROADCAST ANNOUNCEMENT
SHERIFF’S HEADQUARTERS BUREAU

TO: ALL PERSONNEL

SUBJECT: ERRONEOUS NEWS STORY REGARDING THE DEATH OF DEPUTY JAKE KUREDJIAN

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS REPORTED, IN A STORY TODAY, THAT INVESTIGATORS WERE
IN DOUBT AS TO WHETHER DEPUTY JAKE KUREDJIAN WAS SHOT BY SUSPECT JAMES
BECK. THERE IS NO TRUTH TO THIS REPORT.

THE STORY IMPLIED THAT DEPUTY KUREDJIAN MAY HAVE BEEN HIT BY A FELLOW
LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER. WE BELIEVE THIS TO BE AN UNFORTUNATE PIECE OF
PREVARICATION THAT SMACKS OF TABLOID JOURNALISM. THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY
SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT SERGEANT QUOTED IN THE STORY DID NOT MAKE THE
REMARKS ATTRIBUTED TO HIM.

LOS ANGELES COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT HOMICIDE INVESTIGATORS HAVE
STATED THAT THE ANGLE OF THE BULLET WOUND SUFFERED BY DEPUTY KUREDJIAN,
WOULD RULE OUT ANY POSSIBILITY OF FRIENDLY FIRE. THE BULLET TRAJECTORY
INDICATED IT WAS FIRED FROM A CONSIDERABLE DISTANCE ABOVE THE DEPUTY’S
POSITION. DURING TELEPHONE NEGOTIATIONS WITH SUSPECT JAMES BECK,
FOLLOWING THE INITIAL BARRAGE OF GUNFIRE, THE SUSPECT STATED HE WAS NOT
GOING BACK TO JAIL AND THAT ANY OFFICER ENTERING HIS HOME WOULD PAY FOR
IT. HE APOLOGIZED FOR SHOOTING THE DEPUTY. HE ALSO APOLOGIZED FOR
SHOOTING AN A.T.F. AGENT, AS HE WAS UNDER THE MISTAKEN IMPRESSION THAT
HE HAD ALSO SHOT AN AGENT.

TO THE MEMBERS OF THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT WE MUST
NOT ALLOW IRRESPONSIBLE REPORTING TO BECOME A DIVISIVE FACTOR AMONG THE
MANY LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES THAT WERE INVOLVED IN THIS OPERATION.
THE LAW ENFORCEMENT COMMUNITY WILL STAND TOGETHER AND CONTINUE TO WORK
TOWARD OUR GOALS OF ENFORCING THE LAW, APPREHENDING VIOLATORS AND
GATHERING THE TRUTH IN THE MANY INCIDENTS WE FACE ON A DAILY BASIS. WE
OWE IT TO JAKE KUREDJIAN, HIS FAMILY, CO-WORKERS, AND ALL THE RESIDENTS
OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY WE ARE SWORN TO PROTECT.

LEROY D. BACA, SHERIFF

[DCH]

Godspeed one of the County's Finest.

(Thanks go out to Swat1, Capt. Heal, and Sheriff/Coroner Baca.)

-Pete

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LASD83D1