Detective Craig Marquez and Officer Kevin Cotter Sr. are among the National Association of Police Organization's TOP COPS award winners.
The officers shot and killed Tyler Brehm, who had walked into the intersection of Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street on Dec. 9 and began shooting at people who passed by.
Both officers were in plain clothes when they went to the scene and ordered Brehm to drop his weapon. Brehm began shooting at the officers. They fired back, killing him. Unfortunately, Brehm killed an innocent man sitting in a car. John Atterberry, a music producer, was shot twice during the shooting spree and died at a hospital.
Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Police Chief Charlie Beck commended the two officers and a third, Detective Travon Dixon, for running into a dangerous situation with no body armor and no radio to call for backup from other officers.
