LAPD stations on heightened alert after two detectives are ambushed

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An LAPD investigator collects a knife stuck in a tree as they look for evidence at an apartment building located at the corner of Washington Boulevard and Buckingham Road in Lafayette Square. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

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Evidence is examined in a van near the shooting scene. A suspect apparently confronted a woman with her baby shortly after an early morning shooting of two LAPD detectives. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

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An officer examines the crime scene. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

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SWAT officers work to clear a neighborhood near West Washington and South Rimpau boulevards. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

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SWAT officers and a police dog prepare to search a neighborhood for the shooter. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

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Police officers guard the area surrounding the LAPD’s Wilshire Division station, where a gunman fired on two undercover detectives. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

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Crime scene investigators examine the car that two LAPD detectives were in when a gunman fired on them outside the LAPD’s Wilshire Division station. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

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Neighbors gather to look at the shot-up car that two LAPD detectives were in when they were ambushed outside the police department’s Wilshire Division station. The detectives suffered minor injuries and returned to duty later in the morning. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

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A Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department SWAT team travels on Rimpau Boulevard in the Mid-City area during the search for a gunman who fired at two LAPD detectives. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

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LAPD SWAT officers search homes in the 4800 block of St. Elmo Drive. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

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LAPD SWAT officers search homes in the 4800 block of St. Elmo Drive. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

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A police officer stops traffic at a roadblock at Venice and Redondo boulevards in L.A.’s Mid-City neighborhood as the LAPD searches for a gunman who opened fire on two detectives outside the Wilshire Division station. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

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The scene outside the LAPD’s Wilshire Division station, where two detectives were attacked by a gunman early Tuesday morning. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

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LAPD officers talk to a man at a roadblock on Venice Blvd. as police search for a gunman who opened fire on two detectives outside the Wilshire Division station. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

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LAPD vehicles dot Venice Boulevard in L.A.’s Mid-City neighborhood as officers search for a gunman who opened fire on two detectives outside the Wilshire Division station. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

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A motorist passes LAPD officers on Venice Boulevard as they search for a gunman who opened fire on two detectives outside the Wilshire Division station. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

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Officers check maps near the shooting scene. (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)

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LAPD motorcycle officers stream through a roadblock on Venice Boulevard to join the search for a gunman who opened fire on two detectives outside the Wilshire Division station. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

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A police officer holding a shotgun stops traffic at a roadblock as the LAPD searches for a gunman who opened fire on two detectives outside the Wilshire Division station. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

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Venice Boulevard in L.A.’s Mid-City neighborhood is empty as police officers search for a gunman who opened fire on two detectives outside the Wilshire Division station. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

By Richard Winton and Kate Mather

June 25, 2013 9:38 AM PT

Police stations across Los Angeles beefed up security Tuesday after two detectives in an unmarked cruiser were ambushed and injured outside the LAPD’s Wilshire Division station.

“While this seems like an isolated incident, out of an abundance of caution, all of our stations are on heightened alert,” Cmdr. Andrew Smith said. “That doesn’t mean rifles out, but officers will be guarding stations.”

Los Angeles Police Department officers were visible outside main headquarters in downtown Los Angeles and marked cars sat on perimeter streets.

The shooting unfolded about 4:30 a.m. as two detectives working a burglary detail were pulling into the Wilshire station parking area.

Smith said the detective who was driving had just scanned his card that opens the gate when a man described as 30 to 35 years old opened fire, shooting out the car’s rear window.

The detectives were hit by either debris or bullets; one was struck in the head and the other in the arm. The detectives immediately returned fire in an exchange involving at least a dozen shots before the gunman fled on foot, Smith said.

The officers were treated at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and later returned to the command post to try to identify the suspect, Smith said.

Smith said the gunman knew he was firing on LAPD personnel.

More than 200 officers immediately began combing a 25-block area as the department initially went on tactical alert. Though the tactical alert was called off, a large swath of Mid-City remained on lockdown as police searched at least two addresses after possible suspect sightings.

Three people have been detained, but none was identified as the gunman.

Four K-9 teams were searching street by street as helicopters circled overhead and squad cars were parked every block or so. SWAT officers could be seen patrolling the area.

At the corner of Venice and Crenshaw, a small crowd gathered. Val Jones, 48, wondered how she was going to get home.

Wearing sweatpants and a jeans jacket, the Mid-City resident lives a few blocks into the cordoned-off area on St. Charles Place. Jones said her friend didn’t have money for the bus so she walked to an ATM at about 6 a.m. to get cash.

Police wouldn’t let her back to her house, so she grabbed a 7-Up, a bottle of white wine and sat on the corner to wait.

“I’m tired, I’m ready to go home and I want some breakfast,” Jones said. “Other than that they have to do what they have to do. I’m fine. I’m glad I used the bathroom before I came out. Also, if it gets to 11 a.m. I’m drinking some wine, how about that?”

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richard.winton@latimes.com

kate.mather@latimes.com