The 2022 shooting deaths of two El Monte police officers may have been prevented had they been better informed about the danger they were facing, loved ones say after 911 audio was obtained by a local news outlet.
Dispatch recordings from the June 14, 2022 shooting indicate that, while the caller frantically informed the dispatcher that the suspect was armed with a gun and high on PCP, that information was not verbally relayed to the three officers who confronted the man.
Police were responding to a motel on the 10300 block of Garvey Avenue for an initial report of domestic violence.
The 911 calls, which were obtained by Southern California News Group, capture the panic of Maria Zepeda, who was reporting that her husband, Justin Flores, had stabbed her daughter.
Over several minutes, Zepeda told police dispatch that Flores had a history of violence, was armed with a gun and high on drugs. But that information was allegedly never conveyed to Sgt. Eric Sanchez, Cpl. Michael Paredes and Officer Joseph Santana, who responded to the scene.
When the officers arrived at the motel, they stood outside Flores’ room for several minutes waiting for him to open the door. He repeatedly told the officers he was getting dressed, according to reporting from the news organization.
When the door finally opened, Flores was standing in the room in his underwear and holding a pair of pants. What officers didn’t know was that Flores was using the garment to conceal the gun that would take their lives.
Paredes, 42, and Santana, 31, were fatally wounded; Sanchez was also shot.
Flores was shot multiple times, including one that likely would have killed him, but he ended up taking his own life with Paredes’ service weapon, which he had dropped after being shot.
The breakdown in communication, Flores’ previous arrests and the policies of Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón have left those affected by the deadly shootings asking questions about what went wrong and how it could have been prevented.
Flores, who was known to law enforcement as a gang member, had previous felony convictions. Paredes’ widow, Janine Paredes, has filed a lawsuit against the District Attorney’s Office arguing that Flores should have been behind bars before ever having a chance to kill her husband.
In December 2023, a detective on the case met with Santana’s sister and three other police officers to address outstanding questions related to the shooting.
The detective purportedly told them that crucial information about Flores being armed and on drugs, while not communicated via radio, was added to their computer dashboards.
Still, an expert who spoke with Southern California News Group said that information needed to be communicated immediately and directly as soon as dispatchers were made aware of it.
On Monday, Santana’s loved ones held a demonstration outside the El Monte Police Department, demanding answers and accountability from police leaders.
“I’m here with the hope that those who failed my brother on that fateful day are held accountable,” said Jessica Santana, Joseph’s sister. “My brother’s life mattered and we will not let his memory fade away.”
Wyatt Reneer, president of the El Monte Police Officers Association, stood by the actions of the officers involved and the Police Department’s civilian employees, saying there’s “a lot more to the story.”
“I can tell you that the men and women working that day were doing the right thing, to the best of their abilities,” he said.
El Monte Police Chief Jake Fisher released a statement to media in which he said the Department was still mourning the loss of the two officers. He said that the ongoing investigation into that day’s events would be completed soon and he expected the findings would show that there was “no wrongdoing” by officers or dispatchers.
He also highlighted recent improvements in the form of better tactical equipment, expanded communication systems and additional mental health resources.
A veteran dispatcher who was among those involved in the miscommunication is still employed by the Police Department but has been on paid leave for the past several months, the publication said, citing anonymous sources.
Several members of the gang with which Flores was associated were arrested the following year for a bevy of charges including conspiracy and gun charges.
Editor’s Note: This headline has been updated to clarify that the officers were specifically not warned via radio about the suspect’s state prior to the deadly encounter.