Police Fired Upon in the Valley

Los Angeles: Two Los Angeles police officers were fired upon by a 25-year-old man on March 26, 2007. One officer returned fire and the gunman dropped his weapon and surrendered. No one was injured in the incident.

Local residents called police just after 6 o’clock in the morning after they heard gunshots in the area.

Police Officer Osmani Baeza and his partner were dispatched to investigate the gunfire, near Valerio Street and Loma Verde Avenue.

"As the officers turned the corner in their police car, they could see a man point a gun and shoot at them from among some parked cars," said LAPD spokesman Lieutenant Paul Vernon. "I’m sure it took the officers by surprise, but they reverted to their training."

Officer Baeza returned fire at the gunman, who dropped his gun and surrendered. Baeza and his partner arrested Carey Cahill, a local resident, who is known to have a drug problem. The officers also recovered Cahill’s .22 caliber semi automatic handgun.

It was the sixth time suspects have shot at police officers this year, and it’s the eighteenth officer-involved shooting this year to date. In all but two of the officer-involved shootings, suspects were armed with guns. In the two exceptions, the suspects attacked officers with knives.

Cahill was booked on a charge of attempted murder on a police officer.

Force Investigation Division will investigate the shooting.