Attempted Murder of Police Officer in Forest Canyon – Suspect Captured En Route
EAST L.A. – A special bulletin from LASD Sheriff Alex Villanueva gave a sigh of relief to citizens and law enforcement alike – an on-the-run attempted murderer of a police officer was captured. The vehicle pursuit on Nov. 8th, which escalated into an officer targeted with open gunfire, resulted in a wanted, armed-and-dangerous fugitive on the run.
Juan Carlos Vazquez (38) of Pacoima had stoppped his car on Little Tujunga Canyon Road in Los Angeles National Forest at 3:55 AM, as the police pursuit had appeared to come to an end. Such was not the case, however, when Vasquez opened fire on a San Fernando Police Department Officer, as the suspect vanished into thin air for nearly a month.
“The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) Homicide Bureau with the help of the department’s Major Crimes Bureau has worked tirelessly in efforts to locate and arrest the armed and dangerous suspect,” announced LASD. “At the end of November, utilizing law enforcement resources, Major Crimes Bureau detectives determined Suspect Vazquez was hiding out near Buckeye, Arizona.”
Upon notice, Buckeye Police Department made quick work – gathering resources for the search and arrest of Suspect Vazquez. The search came to an end when a sighting took place on 12/07/2021 – as Buckeye PD Detectives and the Phoenix Area West Valley Federal Marshalls team zeroed-in on Vazquez and several other men traveling in a compact car.
“A tactical traffic stop was conducted and after a short standoff, Suspect Vazquez was taken into custody,” said LASD. “An AR-15 style semi-automatic “Ghost” pistol was in his possession at the time of his arrest.”
Pending extradition proceedings to send the fugutive back to California, Suspect Vazquez’s parole- violation warrant and a fugitive-of-justice charge has him safely tucked away in Arizona – in Maricopa County Jail. His future includes transport back to L.A. County for formal booking, and the eventual filing of criminal charges: Attempted Murder of a Peace Officer.
