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Sylmar Standoff: Officer Shot In The Face, Suspect Barricaded
LAPD Officer Steve Jenkins
An LAPD officer is in critical condition after being shot in the face early this morning while responding to a domestic violence call in Sylmar. A SWAT standoff is ongoing and the bomb squad is on the scene as the suspect remains barricaded inside his house, according to police, reports KTLA.The initial incident began around 10:30 p.m. on Sunday when authorities responded to a domestic dispute near Dronfield Avenue and Blesdoe Street after the suspect's wife called 911 from a neighbor's home reporting that her husband had beaten her, notes KTLA. Firefighters arriving on the scene found the suspect "driving up and down the street looking for his wife" and additional police units were called.
As K-9 units searched the premises around 2:15 a.m. officer Steve Jenkins, a 22 year veteran of the force, was shot in the face and the shoulder, according to police. Jenkins', whose wife is an LAPD sergeant and son is an LAPD officer, was transported to Holy Cross Hospital in Mission Hills in critical condition, and underwent surgery. He's was last listed in serious but stable condition.
Residents in the immediate vicinity have been evacuated via Metro buses to Sylmar High School. The school remains open, according to the LAUSD. The suspect, described as a Hispanic man in his 50s, according to the Daily News, has reportedly communicated with family members but has not spoken to authorities. The suspect's wife was treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
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