A Pomona police SWAT officer who was shot while serving a search warrant in San Gabriel Tuesday has died, officials confirmed early Wednesday morning.
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The officer was identified as 45-year-old Shaun Diamond, Pomona Police Chief Paul J. Capraro said at a news conference Tuesday. He had been in the hospital Tuesday evening in "extremely critical condition" with family members by his side.
The shooting occurred just after 4 a.m. in the 100 block of San Marino Avenue, where several agencies were serving a warrant as part of a multiple-location motorcycle gang investigation, according to Pomona police. The officer was shot as he was "making entry" to the residence, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.
Diamond was shot in the back of the neck or head, above his vest, and had been taken to Huntington Memorial Hospital in Pasadena in critical condition, police said. His family was by his side.
"The best indication right now is that he was possibly hit in the back of the head, although he was wearing a Kevlar helmet," said Eddie Hernandez of the Sheriff's Homicide Bureau.
He was described by colleagues as a "top-notch guy" who has served eight years with the Pomona Police Department.
"He's just a wonderful human being," Pomona Police Lt Mike Keltner said.
The shooting suspect was identified as David Martinez, 36, of San Gabriel, officials said. Martinez was the target of the warrant. The alleged shooter was unhurt and taken into custody.
Other occupants were inside the home when the shooting happened, and Martinez's father may have been struck by gunfire from Martinez's shotgun above his left elbow, Hernandez said. Pomona officers did not shoot back because the father was in the line of fire.
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Martinez was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder on a peace officer and was being held in lieu of $4 million bail.
Martinez was previously arrested for assault with a deadly weapon and domestic violence.
The SWAT operation and investigation involved "outlaw motorcycle gangs," Keltner said.
Neighbors said they were awakened by the violence early Tuesday.
"We heard all this commotion," said neighbor Marco Polanco. "We just all took cover, that's all we could do."
NBC4's Samia Khan and Oleevia Woo contributed to this story
