Police search for clues after gunmen fire on undercover officers

Los Angeles police are searching for information on several men who followed and shot at undercover officers Wednesday in Montecito Heights.

The officers were working undercover near Ernest E. Debs Regional Park at about 3:30 p.m., when three vehicles began to follow them, police said. The officers -- in an undercover vehicle -- were patrolling because of recent criminal activity, said Los Angeles Police Sgt. Marlon Marrache.

After following the officers, the men shot at them, hitting the undercover car, Marrache said. No officers were injured and they did not return any fire.

“It happened so quick,” Marrache said. “They were just fired upon.”

Police conducted an extensive search for vehicles and up to five men, but were unable to locate them. The vehicles involved are a blue Nissan Altima, a black compact vehicle and a black Lexus, Marrache said.

Anyone with information should contact detectives in the Hollenbeck Division, Marrache said.

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The area has seen an uptick in criminal activity recently. On Oct. 28, the bodies of two young women were discovered along a hillside in Debs park. The victims, Gabriela Calzada, 19, and Briana Gallegos, 17, had suffered significant head trauma, police said.

No one has been arrested in connection with the deaths of Calzada and Gallegos, Marrache said.

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