Two children were killed when they were accidentally struck by a Los Angeles County sheriff’s vehicle Thursday evening, authorities said.
Deputies were responding to a call involving a gunshot victim and got into a three-car collision on a Los Angeles street corner, said Capt. Alfonso Lopez of the Los Angeles Police Department. One person was killed and seven others were injured in the crash.
The sheriff’s vehicle struck three pedestrians, including a mother, who is currently in critical condition, and her two boys, ages 7 and 9. One of the children was pronounced dead at the scene and the second child died at a hospital, Lopez told reporters.
A second car from the collision injured another two pedestrians, who were also taken to a hospital, police said. The victims have not been identified.
The two deputies involved in the crash suffered minor injuries and are hospitalized but are in stable condition. They are expected to be released soon, Lopez said.
One of the drivers of the other two vehicles involved in the crash was injured and also has been hospitalized. Both drivers are cooperating with police.
LAPD Sgt. Brian Churchill tells CNN the Multi-Disciplinary Collision Investigation Unit is involved and is looking into the facts of Thursday’s fatal accident.
Investigators are working to determine the speed of the vehicles involved and whether the traffic light was red when the sheriff’s vehicle entered the intersection.
Lopez told reporters that it was his understanding that the deputies’ lights and sirens were active at the time of the crash.
