Off-Duty Monterey Park Police Officer Shot And Killed In Parking Lot

An off-duty officer of the Monterey Park Police Department was shot and killed in a parking lot in Downey on Monday.

The incident took place at approximately 3:25 p.m. in a parking lot of the Downey Landing shopping mall on Lakewood Boulevard, near the Glenn Anderson Freeway, the Downey Police Department reportedly said in a news release.

The Downey Police reached the scene to find the victim unresponsive in the seat of his car in the parking lot. He appeared to have been severely wounded and was declared dead at the scene by the Downey Fire Department.

The deceased was later identified as a Monterey Park police officer.

"The victim was identified by the detectives as an off-duty officer of the Monterey Park Police Department. The victim's name is not being released at this time," Downey police informed.

After the shooting incident, several shoppers and neighbors were seen gathering around the shopping center parking lot. The Downey police taped off the area and installed a canopy at the scene of the incident. The area around the retail center was also closed as part of the investigation.

Addressing a news conference Monday evening, Monterey Park Police Chief Kelly Gordon said the department was in a state of mourning.

No information about the victim will be released due to the ongoing investigation, and to respect the family's privacy, Gordon said, adding, "The loss of any life is tragic, especially when it's one of your own."

"Currently, our main focus is to make sure that the person that did the crime is brought to justice and the investigation is allowed to take place the way it needs to take place," the police chief continued.

Downey's acting police chief Scott Loughner also shared brief details of the incident during the conference. However, no details about the description of a possible suspect, or the number of suspects, or even the motive behind the crime were shared as the investigation is still ongoing.

The Monterey Park Police Department has only 76 sworn officers. Anyone with information about the shooting incident is requested to call Det. Ron Gee at (562) 904-2331 or Lt. Dwayne Cooper at (562) 904-2370.