Pomona SWAT officer killed in line of duty ‘loved’ his work

The Pomona SWAT officer who was fatally injured while serving a search warrant in San Gabriel was remembered Wednesday as a veteran lawman who was passionate about his job and well-known within the community.

Shaun Diamond, 45, died from injuries sustained early Tuesday when authorities said a known gang member shot the veteran officer as he tried to enter the suspect’s San Gabriel home.
The blast hit Diamond in the back of the head, sheriff’s officials said.
The suspect, identified as David Martinez, was arrested at the scene on suspicion of attempted murder. Authorities described the 36-year-old as a known member of the Mongols motorcycle gang.

Diamond was rushed to Huntington Memorial Hospital in Pasadena, where he died early Wednesday. Dozens of officers took part in the predawn escort of Diamond’s body from the hospital to the Los Angeles County coroner’s office near downtown Los Angeles.

Pomona Police Chief Paul Capraro told reporters that the procession was “something I never wanted to personally experience,” but called it “quite a tribute to a great man.”

Capraro declined to discuss details of the SWAT operation at a Wednesday morning news conference, saying only that his officers did not initiate the investigation but were assisting in serving the warrant. He referred other questions to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, which is handling the investigation into Diamond’s death.

Instead, Capraro focused his attention on the fallen officer, who joined the Pomona department in 2006 after earlier stints with Los Angeles and Montebello police. Diamond joined the Pomona SWAT team in 2008.

“He loved being on the SWAT team,” Capraro said.

The chief said the fallen officer was a family man with an “incredible sense of humor.” In addition to his SWAT duties, Diamond worked in downtown Pomona and participated in community outreach efforts such as Special Olympics events and SWAT demonstrations for schoolchildren.

“He’s somebody that anybody would get along with,” Capraro said. “If you went door to door and asked any of those people, they would tell you...they enjoyed working with him.”

Diamond was part of a 14-member multi-agency SWAT team serving the warrant about 4 a.m. in the 100 block of San Marino Avenue, authorities told reporters at a Tuesday news conference.

As Diamond tried to get through an exterior door, an interior door opened and the suspect fired a shotgun at the officer, said Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Lt. Eddie Hernandez.

Diamond was struck above a tactical vest but -- despite wearing a Kevlar helmet -- was likely hit in the back of his head, Hernandez said. The suspect’s father was also struck in the arm by the blast.

Sources said the search warrant related to an ongoing investigation into the gang, which is believed to be involved in a series of recent shootings in Southern California.

Diamond is the fourth law enforcement officer in California to be killed in the line of duty in less than a week. Two sheriff’s deputies from Sacramento and Placer counties were killed Friday during a gunman’s rampage through Northern California.

On Tuesday, Ventura County Sheriff’s Deputy Eugene Kostiuchenko was killed on the 101 Freeway when he was struck by a motorist who authorities said was driving while intoxicated. The suspect fled the scene but was later arrested, officials said.

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