Officials say one California police officer was killed and another was wounded in a shooting that took place while they were trying to help a man who had been in a traffic accident in Whittier.
Lt. John Corina, of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, said the two Whittier police officers had responded to a report Monday of a traffic accident and were shot when they approached the vehicle. Police returned fire, wounding the suspect.
Corina said the suspect, a "known gang member," was armed with a semi-automatic handgun.
The slain officer's name has not been released.
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Corina said the gunman was driving a stolen vehicle when he collided with two other vehicles on Colima Road. Authorities said the man opened fire on officers as they were approaching the scene of the crash.
"It's extremely tragic," Corina said. "You just never know when officers respond to a call what they are going to run into."
The surviving officer and suspect are currently in stable condition, according to Corina.
The other people involved in the accident that sparked police response were not injured.
About 130 sworn officers make up the force of the Whittier Police Department. The department is tasked with policing Whittier and Santa Fe Springs in southeastern Los Angeles County.
ABC News and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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