Tuesday, January 25, 2011

EL CAMINO REAL HS SHOOTING+LOCKDOWN: LAPD continues to pursue leads in shooting of school police officer

Andrew Blankstein | LA Times/LA Now | http://lat.ms/gLaRlg

see also: Composite Sketch - $100,000 REWARD FOR CAPTURE OF SCHOOL POLICE SHOOTER: City and police and fire groups ante up ... http://bit.ly/exOd7T

January 24, 2011 |  9:43 pm - The Los Angeles Police Department is continuing an aggressive search for the man suspected of shooting a school police officer last week outside a high school in Woodland Hills.

Police officials said Tuesday they were pursuing multiple leads in the case but did not elaborate on the precise nature of their information.

Chief Charlie Beck told reporters last week that investigators believed the suspect, described as a white man in 40s with a ponytail, was from the local area but declined to give additional details. Authorities also offered a $100,000 reward leading to his arrest and prosecution.

The suspect is accused of shooting L.A. Unified School Police Officer Jeff Stenroos in the chest after the veteran confronted him last Wednesday morning as the suspect was attempting to break into vehicles in the 5500 block of Manton Avenue in Woodland Hills, next to El Camino Real High.

The incident generated a massive police response. More than 3,000 officers swarmed the West Valley, locking down nine schools and setting up a dragnet that encompassed seven square miles as they looked for a suspect described as a white man in his 40s, wearing a bomber or black hooded jacket and blue jeans.

While many expressed frustration and anger at the inconvenience caused by the scope and duration of the operation, LAPD officials defended the decision as necessary to protect the public from a suspect who was willing to shoot an armed officer in broad daylight.

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