As always on this blog, I am passing along the news as a private citizen commenting on a matter of public interest, and not as a representative of my office. Here’s the background:

Two police officers — one a 22-year veteran and the other a rookie — were shot and killed in the Los Angeles County city of El Monte late Tuesday afternoon, authorities said. The suspect is also dead. The mayor said the officers were “essentially ambushed.”

The El Monte officers were identified Wednesday as Cpl. Michael Paredes and Officer Joseph Santana. Paredes, the longtime veteran of the department, is survived by his wife, daughter and son, police said. Santana, who previously worked as a public works employee and with the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department before joining the police department in his hometown, is survived by his wife, daughter and twin sons.

“Corporal Paredes and Officer Santana paid the ultimate sacrifice, while in performance of a noble profession, serving the community they loved,” police said in a statement Wednesday.

The shooting occurred at about 4:45 p.m. local time when El Monte officers responded to a report of a stabbing at a motel. When they arrived, they “immediately took gunfire,” police said.

The two officers were rushed to a hospital where they later died, police said.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said the suspect was shot and died at the scene.

Here’s the difference in how you perceive this based upon your news sources.

Bill Melugin of Fox News reports:

NEW: Per sources, the gang member who fatally shot two El Monte PD officers last night was on probation for felon w/ a firearm after he received a bare minimum sentence in plea deal under LA DA @GeorgeGascon last year, despite having a previous strike on his record. @FoxNews

— Bill Melugin (@BillFOXLA) June 15, 2022

The two fallen officers have now been identified. Sources in the LA DA’s office tell me if this case had been prosecuted without Gascon’s policies in Feb 2021, Flores would have likely been behind bars on a 2.5-3 year minimum sentence.
Instead, he was out on probation last night. https://t.co/tGlyg2X0Oj

— Bill Melugin (@BillFOXLA) June 15, 2022

Gascon’s policies also suggest his office may pay for the funeral of the cop killer. When he took office, he issued a policy stating his office would pay the funeral expenses of people killed by police, “regardless of the state of the investigation or charging decision.” @FoxNews pic.twitter.com/ZLcXpI4ivX

— Bill Melugin (@BillFOXLA) June 16, 2022

People killed by police have generally used deadly force against police and/or others. This policy commits to paying for the funerals of a group of people who, in most cases, have tried to kill cops — and in this case succeeded. Take note, voters.

Meanwhile, the L.A. Times article on the cop killer’s background and treatment by the system mentions none of this.

UPDATE: Since I first published this post, Gascón has stated that the cop killer’s family does not qualify for the reimbursement of burial expenses. He does not explain how this conclusion is driven by the written policy. Meanwhile, the Times has now addressed the issue of the offer. My new post is here.