Pomona SWAT officer critically injured in San Gabriel search warrant shooting

SAN GABRIEL, Calif. (KABC) -- A Pomona SWAT officer was shot and critically wounded while serving a search warrant in San Gabriel early Tuesday morning during a sweep targeting criminal motorcycle gangs.

Investigators said the officer was shot almost immediately upon breaching the outer door of a house on the 100 block of San Marino Avenue near the intersection of West Hermosa and Las Tunas drives at about 4 a.m.

The wounded officer, identified as Shaun Diamond, was transported to Huntington Memorial Hospital in Pasadena. He underwent surgery and was listed in extremely critical condition Tuesday afternoon.

Diamond was attempting to breach the outer door after SWAT members announced their presence, according to an L.A. County sheriff's official. The interior door opened and a shotgun was fired. Diamond was hit above his ballistics vest. He was wearing a Kevlar helmet, and may have been stuck in the back of the head, according to the sheriff's official.

Authorities said San Gabriel resident David Martinez, 36, was taken into custody, and no further suspects were sought in connection to the shooting. Martinez's criminal history includes assault with a deadly weapon and domestic violence, according to the L.A. County Sheriff's Department. Martinez was the target of several warrants, a sheriff's official said.

Diamond was the first in the line of fire during the operation, according to the official. The suspect's father was struck by gunfire in the left arm above the elbow during the incident, police said. It was believed the shotgun was only fired once, the official said. The father was also arrested.

Investigators said the SWAT officers who entered the home did not return fire. Officers did not have a clear shot at the suspect after he opened fire, according to the sheriff's department. Martinez's father was in the way and the suspect was lying on the ground with a gun at his side. Martinez was then taken into custody without incident.

Martinez was booked for attempted murder of a peace officer and was held on $4 million bail.

Police officers with Pomona, Montebello, San Gabriel and Alhambra police departments were all involved in serving the search warrant. Authorities said the search warrant was part of a joint operation sweep targeting criminal motorcycle gangs across the Los Angeles area.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's Homicide Bureau is investigating the shooting.

Last month, motorists in Corona were endangered in a shootout between Hells Angels and Mongols gang members.

A neighbor across the street from the residence told Eyewitness News Tuesday that David Martinez often wore a Mongols motorcycle gang jacket. The connection with the Mongols was not confirmed by police. The neighbor also said the suspect and his family, including children, moved to the area about a year and a half ago.

"He has a newborn, and he has an 8- and a 10-year-old and it's just really scary for the kids," said neighbor Marco Polanco.

Pomona Police are focusing much of their attention on their wounded officer.

"All of Pomona PD is really pulling for him right now, and we can only ask that you guys do the same," said Pomona Police Lt. Mike Keltner.

Diamond started his police career with the LAPD, then the Montebello Police Department before joining the Pomona Police Department in 2006. Diamond has been a SWAT officer since 2008, serving on dozens of SWAT operations, according to Pomona Police.

Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500.

If you prefer to provide information anonymously, you may call "Crime Stoppers" by dialing (800) 222-TIPS (8477), or texting the letters TIPLA plus your tip to CRIMES (274637), or by using the website LA Crime Stoppers.