BALDWIN PARK, Calif. — A 22-year-old man accused of killing a neighbor and fatally shooting Baldwin Park Police Officer Samuel Riveros during a violent outburst has been charged with multiple counts of murder and attempted murder, Los Angeles County prosecutors announced.
Eduardo Medina-Berumen faces two counts of murder with special circumstances, two counts of attempted murder, and a charge for possessing an assault weapon, the Los Angeles Times reported. If convicted as charged, he could face life in prison without parole. District Attorney Nathan Hochman said it could take months to determine whether prosecutors will seek the death penalty.
Medina-Berumen allegedly first shot and killed 43-year-old Darius Wong, a neighbor, during what law enforcement sources said may have stemmed from a parking dispute on May 31. Moments later, Baldwin Park Police Officers Anthony Pimentel and Alfredo Leal responded to reports of a shooting.
According to officials, Medina-Berumen opened fire on the responding officers. Officer Pimentel suffered injuries from shattered glass after bullets struck his patrol vehicle. As the shots rang out, Riveros, 32, ran toward the scene to assist his fellow officers but was shot in the head and killed.
“Officer Riveros ... was entering effectively an open shooting environment when he decided to put the safety of his community ahead of his own safety,” Hochman said. “When the bullets were flying, he ran into those bullets ... and in doing so, he made the ultimate sacrifice.”
Riveros had served with the Baldwin Park Police Department since 2016, according to the report. He was remembered by friends and colleagues as a dedicated public servant, avid Dodgers fan and snowboarder. The Police Officers Research Association of California has launched a fundraiser to assist with his funeral costs.
Pimentel, who was released from the hospital, attended the June 2 press conference with District Attorney Hochman and L.A. County Sheriff Robert Luna.
Authorities recovered a rifle and approximately 60 spent shell casings at the scene, according to the report.
Sheriff Luna described the killings as “a night of tragedy” for the Baldwin Park community.
“Officer Riveros gave his life in service to others, a profound testament to his unwavering dedication to duty and selfless courage,” the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department, which is investigating the killings, wrote in a statement. “His loss is profoundly felt — not only by his family and colleagues, but by the entire Baldwin Park community and law enforcement family.”
