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Widow of El Monte Cop Killer Says She’s Sorry

"I'm so deeply sorry. My condolences for saving me," an emotional Diana Flores said. "I'm so sorry. They didn't deserve that. They were trying to help me."

June 17, 2022
1 min to read


Diana Flores widow of the man police say shot and killed two police officers in the Los Angeles County city of El Monte Tuesday evening says she tried to warn them that he had a gun.

Police say they were called to a motel for a report of a stabbing. The two officers, Corporal Michael Paredes and Officer Joseph Santana, came under immediate gunfire as they tried to make contact with the suspect in a room, and the suspect was fatally shot in a gun battle after running from the motel into the parking lot.

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Authorities identified the gunman as Justin Flores, 35, adding that he was on probation on a gun charge and had previously served time for vehicle theft and burglary. Justin Flores was killed in the shootout. Diana Flores made the 911 call.

"I'm so deeply sorry. My condolences for saving me," an emotional Diana Flores told CBS Los Angeles. "I'm so sorry. They didn't deserve that. They were trying to help me."

"I told them before they went in the room 'Don't go in -- he has a gun," she continued.

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