GUILTY CA - Officer Keith Boyer, 53, slain, another injured, Whittier, 20 Feb 2017 *arrest*

Three Whittier Police Department officers were responding to the scene of a traffic collision about 8 a.m. when a 26-year-old, recently paroled man driving a stolen car opened fire with a semiautomatic pistol, said Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Lt. John Corina.

Detectives said the alleged gunman, who is expected to survive, is also a suspect in homicide that occurred in East Los Angeles. They believe he stole a vehicle Sunday morning after killing a man, his cousin, then drove into Whittier, where he encountered the police.

The slain officer was identified as Keith Boyer, a 27-year veteran of the department.

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“They walked up on the vehicle believing the motorist was in need of medical help,” Los Angeles County Sheriff Jim McDonnell said during the news conference, “and then they ended up in a gunfight for their lives.”

The suspect and Officer Patrick Hazel, a three-year member of the department, were both wounded in the exchange and taken to a hospital.

Boyer, 53, was killed.

“He was the best of the best,” Piper said.

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The parolee suspected of killing a police officer in Whittier and his own cousin in East Los Angeles was identified on Tuesday afternoon as 26-year-old Michael Christopher Mejia, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said.

Mejia, who was released from Pelican Bay State Prison last April, is suspected of fatally shooting Whittier Police Department Officer Keith Boyer and 47-year-old Roy Roger Torres in two separate incidents that happened hours apart on Monday, according to the department.

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Mejia was last arrested on Feb. 2 -- his second in 2017 -- for violating his release terms, the Times reported. He served a 10-day sentence before being released again.

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The suspect in the killing of a Whittier Police officer last month appeared in court Tuesday after his court-appointed attorney recused himself because of a conflict of interest.

The arraignment for Michael Christopher Mejia, 26, was originally scheduled for April 5. Los Angeles County district attorney's office spokesman Greg Risling said "the change (in court dates) may have had to do with the change in defense attorneys."

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A reputed gang member charged with killing a Whittier police officer and wounding the officer's partner after gunning down his own cousin in February pleaded not guilty Monday during an arraignment hearing in Norwalk.

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