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Suspect ID’d in shooting of LAPD officer at police station

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An LAPD officer was rushed to the hospital after being wounded in a shooting at the West Traffic Division around 8 p.m. local
An LAPD officer was rushed to the hospital after being wounded in a shooting at the West Traffic Division around 8 p.m. local time Monday, April 7, 2014.

The suspect who allegedly opened fire with a semi-automatic handgun in the front lobby of the Los Angeles Police Department’s West Traffic Division has been identified as Daniel C. Yealu, 29, of L.A., LAPD Cmdr. Andy Smith said Tuesday.

The shooting occurred at the Mid-City building that houses the Wilshire Station and West Traffic Division around 8 p.m. Monday, according to police.

One officer was injured after being shot multiple times during the incident, according to police.

The officer was not wearing a bulletproof vest at the time, contradicting earlier reports that he had one on, LAPD Sgt. Barry Montgomery said.

“In my mind, this incident is miraculous,” Montgomery said. “He was able to be shot multiple times and still be in good condition.”

The wounded officer was reported to be in stable condition on Tuesday.

LAPD Chief Charlie Beck initially said that the officer was shot seven times, “three in the vest and four times in the extremities.”

However, as investigators pieced together new information about the shooting, it was unclear how many times he was hit by gunfire, and where exactly he was struck, Montgomery said.

Beck, who visited with the officer after the shooting, described him as “very, very lucky,” saying his luck was augmented by his courage.

The officer and his female partner returned fire during the incident, Beck said.

Yealu was seriously wounding and was hospitalized in critical condition, according to authorities.

Officers searched a vehicle believed to belong to Yealu and discovered there were multiple rounds and another firearm inside, police said.

Yealu was booked on suspicion of attempted murder, but remained at the hospital where he was undergoing surgery, according to Smith.

He was being held on $2,000,000 bail, according to inmate records.

The names of the officers involved in the incident have not yet been released, but Montgomery said he expected that information to come out soon.

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