Whittier police officer in stable condition after being shot in gun battle with murder suspect

WHITTIER, Calif. (KABC) -- A Whittier police officer remains in stable condition Tuesday after he was shot in a running gun battle with a murder suspect, according to authorities.

"On behalf of the men and women of our department, I would like to express our sincere appreciation for the outpouring of support from our community and for the immediate emergency response last night from our many allied agencies," Whittier Police Chief Aviv Bar said in a statement.

An exchange of gunfire happened in the 7300 block of Pickering Avenue, near Penn Street, at 8:40 p.m. Monday as Whittier Police Department officers were conducting surveillance and stopped a vehicle being driven by Edgar Gonzalez, 25, the alleged gunman in a Sunday fatal shooting in Santa Fe Springs, Lt. Hugo Reynaga of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said.

RELATED: Police officer shot, wounded while trying to apprehend murder suspect in Whittier

A police officer was shot and injured while trying to apprehend a murder suspect, who was also shot in the confrontation, in Whittier, officials said.

Gonzalez got out of the car and ran away, police said. Police chased him into an alley between two apartment buildings where the shooting happened. Both an officer and Gonzalez were hit.

Bar described the shootings as a "running gun battle."

Police said Gonzalez tossed a semi-automatic handgun as he ran away. Officers used a baton and deployed a K-9 before Gonzalez surrendered and was taken into custody.

Neighbors described hearing several rounds of gunfire and seeing a heavy police presence in the area.

Gonzalez was shot in one hand, while the unidentified officer suffered two gunshot wounds to his lower extremities, officials said.

Both were taken to a hospital in stable condition.

The suspect was being investigated for a murder in nearby Santa Fe Springs. That incident happened Sunday near Pioneer Boulevard and Charlesworth Road. A red minivan was stopped at the intersection when a dispute occurred, police said. A shooter approached the driver's side window and fired into the vehicle.

Residents who talked with Eyewitness News say the recent incidents have left them frightened.

Detectives are still working both cases.

City News Service contributed to this report.