Who was Fernando Arroyos? Off-duty LAPD cop house-hunting with girlfriend shot dead
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: An off-duty Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officer was shot dead in an attempted robbery on January 11, 2022. According to police, Officer Fernando Arroyos and his girlfriend were out house hunting in the 8700 block of Beach Street when three men in a pickup truck approached them. The incident has also resulted in another man being injured, who appears to be linked to the robbery attempt and led officers to the others involved.
The tragic news comes just a day after two LAPD cops lost their appeal to be reinstated, following a 2017 firing for ignoring a robbery. The department is also currently facing massive flak after responding to an active shooter incident in late December 2021, which resulted in an officer shooting a 14-year-old through the wall of a dressing room. The officer responsible was later identified as veteran William Dorsey Jones Jr.
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The shooting of Arroyos has so far led to the arrest of five people, whose names are yet to be released. LA Mayor Eric Garcetti sent his condolences via Twitter, noting, "Our hearts break over this tragic loss for our police department and our city." Chief Michel Moore also mourned the loss of the young officer, saying he "was starting a very promising career."
We mourn the loss of Officer Fernando Uriel Arroyos who was killed while off-duty in a senseless act of violence. Officer Arroyos is survived by his parents & girlfriend.
— LAPD HQ (@LAPDHQ) January 12, 2022
God bless his family who lost their loved one, & the men and women of the dept during this difficult time. pic.twitter.com/XirohPK0oh
Who was Fernando Arroyos?
The 27-year-old was with the LAPD for just three years and was assigned to the Olympic division at the time of his death. "He found himself, after working a series of days in patrol, to have a day off, enjoying it with his girlfriend on a hunt for a house, a place to live, a place to buy and invest in this city and the future of this region," Moore added in his speech. Little else is known about the officer, who is survived by his mother and stepfather, who are immigrants.
A procession was held in his honor on January 12, 2022 morning from the St. Francis Medical Center in Lynwood, where he was taken for treatment, to the coroner's office. The officer was confirmed dead at the hospital, after being shot during the robbery attempt. "He was the only child who had a promising future. A bright future that was taken away viciously over a street robbery," Moore said, adding, "We know that there are people out there who are responsible for this, and I am absolutely convinced in our discussions with investigators that we will identify and bring to justice the person or persons responsible for this murder."
Suspects caught
According to reports, Arroyos and his girlfriend were looking at a property and taking photos of it in the unincorporated part of the city when three men approached them in a pickup truck. Arroyos urged his girlfriend to return to the car while he confronted them, resulting in an exchange of gunfire. The Los Angeles Sheriff's Department responded to the incident and found Arroyos in critical condition.
They also found another man with a gunshot wound to his leg. On further questioning, the individual (who has not yet been identified) led the police to two other men. As of January 12, the police have reportedly arrested three men and two women for the shooting. At the time of reporting, the five are yet to be charged, and details about them were not yet available. Two guns were recovered at the scene, one belonging to Arroyos, and another which reportedly belongs to one of the suspects.