LASD deputies honor slain Sgt. Steve Owen with annual 24-hour vigil in Lancaster

LANCASTER, Calif. (KABC) -- An annual 24-hour vigil in honor of fallen sheriff's Sgt. Steve Owen continued in Lancaster on Saturday afternoon.

The solemn memorial began at midnight on the corner of 32nd Street West and West Avenue J-8, where several Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies stood watch alongside a wreath and a banner describing the events that led to Owen's death in the line of duty.

"We are here. We will be here all night and day honoring Sergeant Steve Owen, beloved leader, partner and friend," the sheriff's Lancaster station said on Twitter shortly after 12 a.m. "We will be here every year."

Members of the public are welcome to visit the site to pay their respects.

The vigil is scheduled to end at 11:59 p.m. Saturday.

Owen was shot and killed by a gunman on Oct. 5, 2016, while investigating a burglary outside an apartment complex in Lancaster.