Armed Robbery Suspect Injured while Attempting to Flee

Los Angeles: An armed robbery suspect was injured as he was trying to elude capture early Sunday morning.

On Sunday May 18, 2008, at 2:10 a.m., Hollenbeck officers were responding to the area of East Avenue 26 and Pasadena Avenue for a radio call of an armed robbery that had just occurred. Officers saw a man matching the suspect’s description run into a residence in the 170 block of West Avenue 26.

Additional police resources were summoned to assist in containing the location. Suddenly the suspect, Salvadore Cervantez, 25 years of age, bolted from a rear door of the house.

Officer Jorge Alfaro, a 13 year veteran of the LAPD, and his partner, Officer Pavel Gomez, also a 13 year veteran of the Department, confronted the suspect in an attempt to take him into custody. Cervantez refused to comply with the Officer’s orders and was tackled to the ground to prevent his escape. Cervantez hit his head on the cement driveway, temporarily incapacitating him.

Los Angeles City Paramedics responded and transported Cervantez to a local hospital where he was admitted and treated for his injuries. He was listed in stable condition. Neither Officer was injured during the arrest.

A subsequent search of the residence that Cervantez had entered yielded a handgun and items of property taken during the robbery. He was subsequently arrested for robbery and is being held without bail.

Force Investigation Division is investigating this incident due to the Law Enforcement Related injury.

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