Feb 9, 2008 2:43 pm US/Pacific
Permanent Memorial Urged For Slain SWAT Officer
LOS ANGELES
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51-year-old Randy Simmons, a 27 year veteran of LAPD's SWAT team, was shot dead by a barricaded gunman on Feb. 7, 2008 in Los Angeles.
CBS
African American activists will call on city officials Saturday to designate a permanent memorial in South Los Angeles for slain police Officer Randal Simmons. The SWAT officer died Thursday in the line of duty when he and his partner stormed a house in Winnetka, where a gunman was holed up.
Simmons was "not just an exemplary police officer," but also "an outstanding African American community leader, a peacemaker and a role model for youth," Earl Ofari Hutchinson, president of the Los Angeles Urban Policy Roundtable, said.
Simmons, 51, was the first SWAT officer to be killed in the line of duty since the elite unit was created in 1967.
Simmons and partner James Veenstra, who was shot in the face but expected to live, had once been assigned to guard the mayor's family.
Edwin Rivera, 20, was crouched in the back of the living room, firing as officers rushed into the home. He was eventually shot and killed by a police sniper.
Rivera killed his brother Endi, 25, another brother Edgar, 21, then his father, Gerardo, 54, Brennan said. He then called police and said he had killed three members of his family.
"The investigation has developed credible information that the shooter, Edwin Rivera, was experiencing significant mental health problems," Deputy Chief Gary Brennan said. "These apparently began shortly after the death of his mother when he was about 10 or 11 years old and have become progressively worse. Clearly these problems created stresses in the family."
Simmons, who lived in Rancho Palos Verdes, was popular within the department, as well as in the community. He was the head of youth outreach services at Glory Christian Fellowship Church in Carson, where he was known as "The Deacon."
Sunday's services at Glory Christian will be dedicated to Simmons. The Fairfax High School graduate played football for Washington State and tried out for the Dallas Cowboys before starting a career in law enforcement.
The U.S. Marine Corps Law Enforcement Foundation is donating $30,000 scholarships to Simmons' two children, Los Angeles Police Department Chief William Bratton said.
The Burger King restaurant will donate 100 percent of the proceeds of its sales from 6 a.m. to midnight Wednesday to the Simmons family, Bratton said.
Simmons is survived by his wife Lisa, a 15-year-old son and 13-year-old daughter.
(© 2008 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)
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