Standoff continues in Sylmar after officer shot in jaw [Updated]

A standoff was underway Monday morning in Sylmar between police and a shooting suspect after a Los Angeles police officer was shot when responding to a domestic-violence call.

 Officer Steve Jenkins, a veteran canine handler, was in critical but guarded condition and undergoing surgery at Providence Holy Cross Hospital in Mission Hills for damage to his jaw after being shot in the face.

The shooting took place about 2:45 a.m. when officers were approaching the home in the 13600 block of Dronfield Avenue and were shot at by  someone inside the house.

The neighborhood surrounding the shooting has been evacuated for the safety of residents. Police said an evacuation center had been set up at Sylmar High School.

Police said they did not know if the suspect had additional weapons other than the gun that was allegedly used to shoot the officer. It was also not clear if the suspect was wounded. No one else was believed to be in the residence.

The incident began around 10:38 p.m. Sunday with a call from the man's wife, who had fled to a nearby residence to call police after allegedly being injured by the suspect. The wife was treated for moderate injuries and was in protective custody.

Police have surrounded the house.

The injured officer's wife is a sergeant with the Los Angeles Police Department and his son is a police officer, LAPD Chief Charlie Beck said in a Monday morning news conference.

The morning's standoff, Beck said, "points up the danger of this occupation."

[Updated at 8:21 a.m.: The police union, the Los Angeles Police Protective League, said in a statement the shooting reflected a nationwide trend of increased attacks on officers.

"A total of 162 officers died in the line of duty in 2010, up from 117 in 2009," the statement read. "So far in 2011, 52 have lost their lives, a 20% rise from the same time last year.

"Since the beginning of this year, 27 law enforcement officers around the country were killed either by firearms or felonious assaults. This is an increase of more than 13 % in fatalities over 2010, when 20 officers were killed by firearms or felonious assault at this same point in time."]

RELATED:

LAPD officer undergoes surgery; SWAT surrounds shooting suspect in Sylmar

-- Andrew Blankstein and Catherine Saillant

Photo: LAPD officers at the command post in Symar. Credit: Al Seib / Los Angeles Times

Map shows location of standoff, as well as recent reported crimes. Credit: Crime L.A.

Comments

[fathercoughlin]

One of the posters is implying, becasuse their is no 'Description" or name of the suspect, that it's the liberal media showing bias towards protection of minorities. Anyone that knows that neighborhood, would know right away, that the suspect could very well be virtually any ethnicity.
As also noted by other posters, the worst fear of a Cop is having to respond to a domestic dispute. Wishing a full recovery and the best for the policeman and his family.

[Blenda]

Just toss a couple of grenades in the house and get over it with!

[RonM]

Katherine-Well, when every person, including criminals and the insane, can own [CARS & KNIVES], what do you expect?
.
u know-And MUCH Greater number of the rest of us have to deal with Rogue Cops.
.
newageblues-Cannabis-I actually agree with you. I prefer not having twice the "drunk drivers", but outlawing alcohol(it didn't work in Prohibition, either) seems a more reasonable policy.

[s]

The nation is getting violent, it was un heard of to shoot the Police when I was young in Los Angeles the City of Angles. Parents need to start teaching their children to be good law abiding citizens and to obey the laws of this country. There is no need for this violence. If you have anger issues go get some anger management classes. Don't be a punk and beat up on your wife, or shoot the police who serve and protect you.

[Citizen X]

Those are the risks when a person decides to go into Law ENFORCEMENT. How many "regular citizens" have been killed this year by officers around the country?

[unknown]

Steve is my cousin..
best wishes to him and our family. A son of his is a good friend of mine and family member. they need all the love they can get.

thanks guys

[Paul G.]

The Right to Bear Arms needs to be changed. Guns need to be removed from homes and people period..!!!

[David]

We should institute a 10-year minimum sentence added on to whatever sentence is imposed for the crime, to anyone who kills, seriously injures or otherwise causes intention harm to a Police Officer. Attacking a Police officer is an attack on us all, it is an attack on Law. It is an attack on the basic laws that binds a society together. When someone aims a gun at an officer upholding law they are making a conscious decision to break a moral barrier, and that should have a severe mandatory penalty, untouchable by parole.

[CK]

My question is what would these 50 or so government workers be doing if they weren't standing around waiting for a criminal to give himself up?

[westsidejesse]

U know~

It comes with the territory, and they knew that before taking the job.

You think cops do not do the same to civilians? Fighting them, threatening them, shooting them?..come on man, stop being so blind!

I wonder why after giving all the statistics on cops who have died, why don't they tell you about the stats for people that cops have killed nationwide, hmmmmm?

I do wish the officer well, and hope he makes a speedy recovery.

[Opticaltee]

@Katherine, you shouldn't comment on things you know nothing about.

You say, "Well, when every person, including criminals and the insane, can own guns, what do you expect?"

The law already prevents criminals and the insane from purchasing guns. That means guess what? They have to steal the guns, hence the name criminal. There is nothing in the 2nd Ammendment that allows for criminals or the insane to own guns.

The Liberals are the ones protecting criminals. It's a big business for them. They have all the police, jails, courts and lawyers to create big money. It's no different than the corporate greed that is always complained about.

If the law made it easier for the domestically abused wife to get a gun quickly she could have taken care of this issue herself instead of involving the police. Remember, the police are first responders, but it's wiser to be able to fight back against the Liberal protected insane and criminal with instant response.

[Eddie]

What happened to the dog?

[wthitc]

So 'U Know'... what is a fair salary for Police Officers? What do you think they deserve? $100,000 per year? $500,000 year? $1,000,000 per year? $100,000,000 per year? At what point to we the public say enough is enough? We happen to live in the "real" world and I feel the police should make a "reasonable" salary. But you would have them being paid twice or three times what I think is reasonable. Pretty soon me and the rest of the public will be funding there $10,000,000 homes and lavish lifestyles. Bottom line is... if they dont like the salary for the perceived risk, then they can get a non-dangerous job like mine. There will always be some guy that wants to wear the uniform and carry a gun. And lets also put this into perspective... their are far more dangerous occupations out there.

[TheLACritic]

U know... even as a strong supporter of police officers and with close family in the profession as well, I have to disagree with you. The reality is the private sector creates the jobs that pay the public sector's salaries. If the public sector jobs pay too much it eventually will have an affect on the private sector's ability to create more wealth. Let the salaries of police officers be dictated by the laws of supply and demand and not artificially inflated by public sector unions.

[Rudy]

Can someone please explain again why the whole police department needs to be there standing around talking to each other for ONE guy?

[jaytee]

Does it really take that many police officers and officials to deal with one barricaded suspect?! How many other officers are outside the frame of this photograph? For one guy? Gimme a break.

[john public]

I am a convicted felon, (its a joke to put drug possession in the same catagory as rape and murder), but I feel that if you take aim and shoot at a cop, you should die. You are shooting at a peace keeper, and he has every right to shoot back, so you must want to die if you want to shoot at a cop. The cops in my town, Port Hueneme are sissy's. They look the other way at dangerous people for they fear them, but they don't fear the hard working citizens that bend a rule here or there. I have multiple examples of this, not just witnessed by myself, but others that live near me. They should go in and kill that guy and get his hate out of the gene pool.

[nut-licker]

The shooter is obviously in a world of trouble. Let's pray for the officer's quick recovery and the suspect/shooter's quick entry into the corrections system.

There is a world of hurt going on because of this ordeal; may all involved quickly begin to rehabilitate. Even the shooter needs to make the eventual climb back to society.

[derek]

No problem with police officer pay, but when the average lifespan is now over 80, we can't afford workers retiring at age 50 with full pensions. Nobody should collect a pension under the age of 60 unless they are injured on the job or unable to work.

[Hakatau]

When someone is shot in a drive-by, there is a passing blurb on the sidebar. When a cop is shot, it's front-and-center with a picture to boot?

Talk about double standards. This officer wasn't even killed!

[jose]

"Well, when every person, including criminals and the insane, can own guns, what do you expect? I don't think this is what our forefathers meant when they decided we had the right to bear arms. An outdated mode of thinking anyway. It just makes society more violent." -Katherine

Did you hear that? Katherine has no guns in her house and won't be able to defend herself against an armed intruder. Good for you Katherine you are so peaceful (and naive).

[lostinla4673]

once again a Domestic Violence Dispute..and this time the Police Officer got shot. SO I ask where are the people who complaint when the suspect is the one who gets shot for the chaos created? Police Officers do their job "to protect and serve" and it is not an easy job. Hope the Officer Jenkins has a speedy recovery. Prayers for him and his family.

[Rick]

Forcing you to use alcohol instead of pot? Are you freakin' serious? Why not get some help, clean up your act and your life and live without either? Your family and friends will be better off and appreciate it. Been there done that... and feel so much better now.

[Rick]

Forcing you to use alcohol instead of pot? Are you freakin' serious? Why not get some help, clean up your act and your life and live without either? Your family and friends will be better off and appreciate it. Been there done that... and feel so much better now.

[Rick]

Forcing you to use alcohol instead of pot? Are you freakin' serious? Why not get some help, clean up your act and your life and live without either? Your family and friends will be better off and appreciate it. Been there done that... and feel so much better now.