Ambushed Police Officer SPEAKS OUT
On September 12th, 2020, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputies Claudia Apolinar and Emmanuel Perez-Perez were on a routine patrol check of the Compton Blue Line train station in Compton, California. From out of nowhere, a lone gunman ambushed their vehicle, opening fire in a point-blank fashion leaving both deputies critically wounded. The gunman would flee on foot, ensuing a three-day manhunt across Los Angeles, where he would later be captured and sentenced to 166-years in prison.
For nearly five years, the true story behind this harrowing ambush remained shrouded in vague headlines and unanswered questions. News coverage barely scratched the surface, leaving the public with only fragments of the full picture—who these deputies were, what they endured, and how that night changed their lives forever. Now, for the first time, the silence is breaking. The deputies are ready to share their story in their own words—giving the public a chance to finally hear the truth.
Meet Claudia Apolinar, a deputy with the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department, and one of the deputies involved in such a horrific incident.
Claudia grew up in South Los Angeles, where her dream of a career in law enforcement was sparked at a young age. Each September, she watched in awe as mounted police officers patrolled the annual South L.A. Mexican Independence Day Parade, a sight that left a lasting impression. From that moment, she knew she wanted to wear the badge. Determined to turn her dream into reality, she dedicated herself to the path, taking deliberate steps to make law enforcement her future.
Claudia’s journey to becoming a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputy is a testament to her persistence and resilience. She refused to let obstacles stand in her way, no matter how challenging the road became. The first time she applied, she didn’t pass the physical test. The second time, an injury in boot camp delayed her dream even further. But she never gave up. On her third attempt, she finally conquered the challenges before her—proving that determination and grit can turn setbacks into success.
Throughout her training, Claudia took on various jobs to support herself while pursuing her dream. She spent time working as a librarian before transitioning to a role as a security guard—a position that not only provided stability but also gave her valuable experience that would later prove essential in her career as a Sheriff’s Deputy.
Looking back on the early days of her law enforcement career, Claudia can’t help but smile, remembering those moments with a deep sense of pride and nostalgia.
Claudia never lost her drive and made her goal a reality, becoming a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputy in 2019.
She was living her dream, doing what she always envisioned for herself. Unfortunately though, 14 months after officially becoming a Sheriff’s deputy, Claudia’s life changed forever.
September 12th, 2020, started normally.
Claudia started her day on the early shift, patrolling the scenic coastal areas of Los Angeles, from the bustling piers of Santa Monica to the serene shores of Redondo Beach. After hours of patrolling, she’d return to the station, ready to gear up for the next phase of her day—picking up her partner, Deputy Perez-Perez, for their evening shift, where an entirely different side of the city awaited them.
It’s important to recognize the climate of the time—America was deeply divided, still reeling from the aftermath of the George Floyd protests. Tensions were high, and it was an especially challenging period for law enforcement, with officers facing intense scrutiny, shifting public sentiment, and an increasingly unpredictable landscape.
Barely moments after leaving the parking structure, the deputies were suddenly ambushed by a lone gunman, who unleashed a barrage of bullets at point-blank range. The assailant fled on foot, leaving the deputies critically wounded in their vehicle, helpless and fighting for their lives.
At the start of their shift, the deputies carried out routine patrols, ensuring everything was in order before gearing up for what was expected to be a particularly busy night. Knowing they’d need the energy, they grabbed a quick meal before heading to a secure parking structure to eat. With only a brief moment to recharge, they wasted no time getting back on the streets, ready for whatever the night had in store.
The manhunt for the gunman stretched across three intense days, sweeping through Los Angeles as law enforcement relentlessly pursued him. Eventually, he was captured and brought to justice, receiving a staggering 166-year prison sentence for his heinous crime.
Claudia was shot in the face and both arms, while Deputy Perez-Perez was shot in his forehead and arms.
In the moments after the shooting, Claudia recalls the haunting clarity of waking up from what felt like a blackout, the sharp sting of pain in her arms drawing her back to reality. As her vision cleared, she turned her head and saw that her partner, Deputy Perez-Perez, was also gravely injured. Driven by what she calls her "motherbear instinct," Claudia pushed her own suffering aside. Rather than focusing on herself, she immediately sprang into action, using her shirt to fashion a tourniquet around his wounds, staunching the bleeding and ultimately saving his life. Only then, with the danger to her partner averted, did she turn her focus to her own survival.
The moments surrounding the shooting are a blur for Claudia, but one vivid memory stands out: as she tried to call for help using her radio, she realized with growing horror that she couldn’t speak. The bullet had entered the side of her face, severing her tongue and shattering her jaw, rendering her completely mute. In that agonizing moment, Claudia felt an overwhelming sense of helplessness. She could hear her own thoughts, but no words would come out. It was a crushing frustration that only deepened as she waited—three and a half long minutes—before help finally arrived on the scene.
Despite being critically injured, Claudia and her partner had to stay on high alert in those terrifying moments. They had no idea where the shooter had gone or if there was another gunman nearby, and they couldn’t afford to let their guard down, even for a second. Their survival instincts kicked in, forcing them to remain vigilant in the face of uncertainty and pain.
stills from surveillance video
When help arrived, both deputies were quickly taken to the hospital.
Claudia was quickly placed into a medically-induced coma, as doctors prepared for emergency surgery. The extent of her injuries was staggering—her jaw was meticulously repaired and wired shut for three long months, while both of her arms were put in casts after the bullets shattered the ulna bones in each arm. The damage was severe, but the fight for her life had just begun.
It wasn’t until the day after the incident, while lying in her hospital bed, that Claudia fully grasped the severity of her injuries—and the long, daunting road to recovery that lay ahead. The reality of what she had endured began to sink in, and with it, the realization that her journey back to health would be anything but easy.
Claudia during recovery
After a harrowing 14-month recovery, Claudia returned to work with the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department.
When Claudia first found her voice after the incident, her first question wasn’t about her recovery—it was about when she could return to duty. Eager to get back to her calling, she asked, “When can I put my uniform back on?” Her determination to return to work, despite the severity of her injuries, reflected her unwavering commitment to the job she loved.
Claudia credits her family as her greatest support system, acknowledging that without their unwavering strength and encouragement, her recovery would have been far more difficult. She knows, without a doubt, that it was their love and support that helped her heal and ultimately return to the job she was so passionate about.
In the instant after she was shot, Claudia’s mind immediately went to her six-year-old son. In the midst of the chaos and pain, she thought to herself, "I’m not going to die today." The thought of returning to him became her driving force, fueling her determination to survive and pushing her to overcome the unimaginable. The love for her son was the spark that helped her defy the odds and find the strength to face such a horrific ordeal.
Nearly five years after the incident, Claudia reflects with deep gratitude, thankful not only for her recovery but for the strength that carried her through one of the most harrowing experiences of her life.
Claudia often reflects on how the incident “brought the country together,” as she was overwhelmed by an outpouring of love and support from around the world. It’s these acts of kindness, she believes, that played a crucial role in her recovery, reminding her that even in the darkest moments, humanity’s compassion can light the way forward.