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The innocent man who was killed at his own home during a standoff with a wanted parolee in Pico Rivera was shot by a sheriff's deputy.According to a press release from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, deputies were evacuating the home of Frank and Lorraine Mendoza as the parolee, Cedric Ramirez, was breaking in after an exchange of gunfire. Deputies had evacuated an adult and two children from the house when Ramirez reappeared in a hallway and started shooting again.
Deputies retreated to the front yard, when Frank Mendoza appeared at the front doorway and was shot in the head and leg, having been mistaken for Ramirez. Attempts to resuscitate him by paramedics at the scene were unsuccessful, and Mendoza was declared dead at the scene.
The name of the deputy who shot Mendoza was not released, but Chief William McSweeney of the Detective Division told the LA Times that he was a veteran of 11 years with "a very fine record."
Mendoza's wife Lorraine taken hostage by Ramirez and was freed after a tactical unit stormed the house at 1:30 a.m. early Saturday morning and killed Ramirez. Lorraine Mendoza was unharmed during the standoff.
