SWAT Officer Killed in the Line of Duty: First Time in History of LAPD
Approximately 1:00 a. m. Thursday, February 7, 2008; Swat Officer Randy Simmons, age 51, was shot and killed in the line of duty. Officer James veenstra, age 51 was also shot in the face and critically wounded. Officer Veenstra underwent approximately three hours of surgery. He is now recovering in intensive care.
LAPD started its SWAT training in 1967. SWAT started in 1971. Officer Randy Simmons is the first LAPD SWAT officer ever that has died in the line of duty.
Approximately, 9:00 p. m. Wednesday night, February 6, 2008, 911 received a phone call from a male; who reported that he had killed three members of his Family. The male said come and get me.
Officers were met with gun fire at the San Fernando valley resident. Two officers went down. Randy Simmons died and James Veenstra survived after three hours of surgery. Two other officers received minor injuries.
Three male victims were seen lying on the floor inside the resident. Eventually tear gas was shot into the house and the house was repeatedly hit with a battering ram in order to force the gunman out. It is not clear as how the fire started. The resident was surrounded by approximately 200 officers.
The gunman was also announced dead on the scene. Both officers Simmons and Veenstra was a particular special lost to L. A Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. Last year both officers were assigned to Villaraigosa's two children. He was close to both officers.
Deceased officer, Simmons served for 27; he served twenty of those years on SWAT. Twelve years he was a Swat leader. He was a tremendous lost to the LAPD.
Published by Mary E. Coe
I write articles, songs, poetry, short stories and stageplays. Some of my writings are fictitious and some are fact based. In the Spring of 1993, some of my poems were published in the library at Citrus Col... View profile
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16 Comments
Post a CommentEXCELLENT ARTICLE and reporting, Mary... more people need to be aware of this sad and tragic news
Very sad news. You did a great job on this report
Wonderful reporting on such an emotional subject.
Thanks for the update. I read about this and a tribute to Simmons. He leaves two teen daughters behind. The LA Times had a story of when he got called in on an assignment when he had the flu. After many hours he was able to talk the holed up guy out by repeating Bible verses to him. People blame guns for these tragedies; I blame government who resorts to killing to solve global issues; especially our current war in Iraq that should never have happened.
A brief up-date: According to relatives and police sources; the gunman in this tragedy was identified as 20 years Edwin Rivera; a troubled high school drop out; who apparently was still very angry over his mother's death nine years ago. The three relatives shot and killed by Rivera was his father and his two older brothers; who were, also ,in their twenties. Efforts were made to try to convince Rivera to surrender. Simmons and Veenstra entered the house to rescue people still alive inside the house; because the gunman made no effort to surrender. A woman escaped out the door after officers threw tear gas inside. Firemen pulled Simmons and Veenstra out of the house. Simmons died from gunshot to the neck. Veenstra was shot in the face. He survived, but, still faces a number of surgeries and therapy. My prayers go out to all the victims in this tragedy.
I feel for these men and their families.
How very sad. You did a great job on this.
What a tragedy. Thanks for reporting the story Mary.
Sorry to hear this tragedy. Great report.
Good job, Mary! Five stars!! :-)