2023 Medal of Valor Recipients

SWAT was briefed that the suspect had discharged his rifle at his neighbors and was now barricaded in his apartment. As officers evacuated residents from the hallway, Officer Daniel Sanchez took a barricaded position at a nearby apartment to provide cover for his partners.

Without warning, the suspect emerged from his apartment wearing a camouflage jacket and holding a big game hunting style crossbow in his right hand and a rifle in his left hand. The suspect re-entered his apartment and slammed the door shut. Moments later, he re-emerged holding the crossbow in an upward position.

As Sanchez pleaded with the suspect to surrender peacefully, the suspect turned toward him and lowered the crossbow to a low-ready position barricaded behind his doorway. Suddenly and without provocation, the suspect then raised it and fired an arrow at Sanchez. Realizing the immediate threat to his life, he discharged two rounds toward the suspect.

Sanchez sustained a laceration to his left thumb and was transported to the hospital, where his thumb was surgically reattached. Sanchez returned to duty seven months later. It was later determined that one of the rounds Sanchez had fired lodged in the crossbow, essentially disabling further arrows from being shot from it.

Lundgren ordered the suspect against a wall. Initially, the suspect complied. But as Lundgren approached, the suspect produced a hammer and began violently swinging it at him. In defense of his life, Lundgren shot the suspect twice. The wounded suspect continued attacking Lundgren, striking him in the face with the hammer. Lundgren fired three more shots, and the suspect finally gave up.

Policeman Lundgren was taken to the hospital, admitted for one night, and treated for the loss of five teeth. He returned to work four days later. He underwent numerous dental surgeries but continued his career for another 18 years, retiring in 1983.

Officers Dillard, Preston, and Garver approached the front of the house, and Dillard rang the doorbell with his baton. A few seconds later, the viewing window on the front door opened and female asked who was there. He replied, “Police officers. Open the door.” The woman replied, “Help me! He is in the bedroom with a gun.” Preston and Garver immediately got her out of the house.

Dillard yelled into the residence, asking the man to put down the gun and come out. The man yelled back at the officers to, “Come get him.” Dillard repeatedly asked the suspect to surrender as he, Preston, and Garver entered a hallway. Suddenly, the officers observed the barrels of a double-barreled shotgun being thrust out of a side hallway.

The suspect stepped out into the hallway, holding the shotgun at the hip position, with his left hand on the barrel and his right hand on the trigger. The officers backed up toward the front door, and the suspect pointed the weapon at the officers and fired one round.

Preston simultaneously fired one round from his shotgun at the suspect while Dillard and Garver fired one round from their revolvers. The suspect backed up into a side hallway, as Preston advised his fellow officers he had been hit. Garver grabbed Preston and pulled him out the front door. Murawski, who had been standing on the front porch, was also hit by the suspect’s buckshot.

The suspect came around the hallway again, and Dillard fired three rounds at the suspect. The suspect slipped out of view, and Dillard exited the residence. As Preston and Garver made notifications of the shooting and requested an ambulance, Murawski and Dillard positioned themselves behind vehicles on the street and illuminated the front door with a flashlight. A short time later, the suspect appeared in the front doorway and pointed the shotgun at the officers. The officers fired at the suspect, and the suspect retreated into the residence. Officers at the rear of the house observed the suspect fall to the floor. Officers reentered the residence and took the suspect into custody.

Officers Preston and Murawski were treated and released for their injuries.

The suspect was a documented Eastside Wilmas gang member who sought revenge for an officer involved shooting that occurred the previous month with a fellow Eastside Wilmas gang member. The officers were told that the suspect was also being charged with a carjacking that happened two years prior. Additionally, the suspect had been seen with a blue steel revolver and was looking to obtain an AK-47 to kill a Los Angeles Police Officer.

Plain clothes officers in an unmarked police vehicle responded to the suspect’s residence where they observed him enter the driver’s side of a vehicle. The officers also observed two female passengers in the car. They broadcast the information to the designated uniformed chase team. Carlyle and Phillips responded to the alley, began following the suspect, and requested backup. Martin and Valdez responded to the backup request, and Carlyle activated his emergency lights and siren to conduct a traffic stop.

The suspect refused to stop, accelerated, and a pursuit ensued. He started to negotiate a left turn, then decelerated, and attempted a right turn. Carlyle unintentionally collided with the suspect’s vehicle, causing it to spin clockwise. The suspect tried to accelerate, but the secondary police vehicle blocked his path. The suspect exited the vehicle and pointed a handgun in Martin’s direction.

Fearing he was about to be shot, Martin opened his door, drew his service pistol, and fired two rounds at the suspect. Simultaneously, the suspect fired two shots at Martin, striking him on the left chest under his badge. Martin fell to the ground and as the suspect approached him, he attempted to get up and fired one to two more rounds at the suspect. Valdez saw Martin fall to the ground and shot at the suspect once. At the same time, Phillips exited his police vehicle, took cover by the suspect’s vehicle, and upon observing the suspect shoot at Martin, fired three rounds at the suspect. Carlyle, fearing Martin and Valdez were going to be killed, fired three to four rounds at the suspect as well.

Meanwhile, Harbor Division Vice Officer Nicholas Sysak and his partner heard the pursuit and responded in case they needed to set up a perimeter. As they approached the area, they observed the suspect shooting at the officers. Believing the officers were in danger of being shot and killed, Sysak negotiated a left turn and intentionally struck the suspect with his unmarked police vehicle. The collision caused the suspect to lose his grasp of the pistol and fall to the ground. The pistol crashed through the windshield of Sysak’s car. While Sysak’s decision to drive directly into a gun battle was unorthodox, it was instrumental in disarming the suspect. The suspect was taken into custody and pronounced dead at the scene.

It was later discovered Officer Martin’s United States Marine Corp pin, which he wore on the top left corner of his left shirt pocket, received a direct hit from the round fired by the suspect. The pin caused the bullet to slow, greatly reducing the severity of his injury. He was treated for injuries and released from the hospital.

Mejia requested an air unit and the direction of travel of the suspect. The officers arrived at an intersection and saw him in the intersection making furtive movements to his waistband. They positioned their patrol vehicle between the suspect and the passing motorists, exited the vehicle, and ordered the suspect to show them his hands. He turned towards them, produced a handgun, and began firing at them as he walked towards them.

In defense of their own lives and the lives of citizens in the area, the officers returned fire, which effectively stopped the suspect’s actions.