[CHP] – Since January, 88 law enforcement officers nationwide have been killed in the line of duty. Of those, 28 have died as a result of fatal gunshot wounds. California has had three officers killed, all of which have been as a result of gunfire.

The average age of the officers who were feloniously killed is 41 years. The victim officers had served in law enforcement for an average of 12 years, 8 months at the time of the fatal incidents.

In the early morning hours of September 11, 2015, CHP Baldwin Park Area Officers conducted an enforcement stop on a Cadillac Escalade for an impaired driving investigation. During the enforcement stop, the driver attempted to murder the officer by firing a semi-automatic, 12-gauge shotgun, resulting in injuries to the officer. The officers returned fire wounding the suspect.

The driver of the Cadillac fled the scene and was later apprehended after a lengthy pursuit. The pursuit came to an end when the Cadillac became disabled in a dirt field in Fontana. The suspect was taken into custody with the assistance of a West Covina Police Department K9 police dog and allied agencies.

The driver was identified as John Alfred Garcia, age 30, from Fontana. Garcia was booked into a Los Angeles County Jail and was arraigned under the following charges:

-664/187 Penal Code – Attempted murder on a peace officer that was willful, deliberate, and premeditated

-245(d)(2) Penal code – assault on a peace officer with a semiautomatic weapon

-2800.2(a) vehicle code – felony evading of a peace officer

This shooting highlights the dangers of being a law enforcement officer.

“Thankfully, our officer survived because of the courageous effort of not only his partner officer, but the multiple allied agencies, who assisted, responded and pursued Garcia until he was apprehended” Southern Division Chief Calvin Aubrey.

The officer was released from the hospital yesterday and is expected to make a full recovery.