Man charged in ambush shooting of 2 Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies
LOS ANGELES (NewsNation Now) — Los Angeles officials announced charges Wednesday against a man in the ambush shooting of two deputies in Compton earlier in September.
Deonte Lee Murray, 36, has been charged with premeditated attempted murder of a peace officer and possession of a firearm by a felon, a news release from the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office said.
Surveillance video showed the two deputies being shot at point-blank range while they were sitting inside their patrol car in Compton near a Metro station and then tending to one another on Sept. 12.
Both officers have been released from the hospital. Both deputies graduated from the academy 14 months ago, according to Villanueva.
Murray is also believed to be involved in a Sept. 1 carjacking and robbery that occurred prior to the shooting. He was arrested in connection with that incident on Sept. 15.
He was charged with carjacking, second-degree robbery and assault with a semiautomatic firearm and attempted murder in the carjacking incident.
Ballistics testing of the gun discarded during the pursuit showed it was the one used in the attack on the deputies, LASD Homicide Bureau Captain Kent Wegener said. He also noted that the gun held eight rounds, five short of its capacity, and that five rounds had been fired at the deputies.
He also faces allegations of association with a criminal street gang and discharging a rifle inflicting great bodily injury in the carjacking incident.
Investigators later linked Murray to the shooting of the deputies and charged him, authorities said.
No motive for the shooting was given, other than “the fact that he hates police officers and he wants them dead.” said Wegener.
Officials said the $175,000 reward for the gunman will be addressed at a later date.
“We received a great deal of information from people who will likely have some claim to that reward,” said Wegener.
Murray is scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday. Prosecutors are recommending bail be set at $6.15 million.
If convicted as charged, the defendant faces a possible maximum life sentence in state prison.
This story is developing. Refresh for updates.
NewsNation affiliate KTLA and The Associated Press contributed to this report.