ONTARIO, Calif.—Thousands of law enforcement personnel from throughout the region gathered June 30 for a memorial service at Toyota Arena in honor of two El Monte police officers fatally shot in the line of duty, with the men hailed as “valiant heroes.”
The ceremony, which followed a solemn procession that began at El Monte police headquarters, was held in remembrance of Sgt. Michael Paredes, 42, and Officer Joseph Santana, 31, who was gunned down June 14 while responding to a reported stabbing at a motel. Both are survived by wives and young children.
The memorial service, which began shortly after 10 a.m., was not open to the public but was open to all uniformed law enforcement personnel….