Disturbing Bodycam Footage Reveals Fatal Gunfight Resulting in Officer and Innocent Father’s Death

A gripping incident captured by body-worn cameras reveals the harrowing events of a fatal shootout in Baldwin Park, California, last year. The tragic episode, which claimed the life of a police officer and left another wounded, also resulted in the death of an innocent bystander.

The confrontation unfolded on the evening of May 31, 2025, around 7:15 p.m. Police responded to urgent calls reporting a man shooting a rifle in the street of a local neighborhood. Upon arrival, a Baldwin Park Police Department officer discovered a person lying motionless on the ground. Yet, as he moved to assist, he was suddenly under fire by the suspect, later identified as 22-year-old Eduardo Robert Medina-Berumen, who wielded an assault-style rifle.

As another patrol unit reached the scene, it too came under attack. Bullets struck the vehicle twice, with one shot penetrating officer Anthony Pimentel’s windshield, causing glass and shrapnel to injure his face.

The chaos was not confined to just those directly involved. Surveillance footage and witness accounts depict a neighborhood in distress, as residents who had gathered for weekend festivities were forced to flee for safety amidst the rapid exchange of gunfire.

Surveillance and witness video showed neighbors, many of whom had gathered for weekend parties and get-togethers, scrambling for safety as rapid gunfire echoed through the neighborhood.

A law enforcement helicopter helped ground units find Medina-Berumen lying in the front yard of a nearby home.

Deputies with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department arrived along with additional Baldwin Park police officers, including 35-year-old Samuel Riveros, a nine-year veteran of the department, who began a dangerous approach toward the suspect.

Riveros was shot while across the street from the shooter’s position.

A team of officers rushed to his aid and dragged him out of the line of fire. He was airlifted to USC Medical Center, where he later died from his injuries.

Officer Pimentel was hospitalized in stable condition and was expected to recover.

The bystander, 43-year-old Darius Wong, a father of two young daughters, was shot in the back. He was also rushed to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Using an armored vehicle, police and deputies positioned themselves in front of the yard where Medina-Berumen had taken cover and shot him when he allegedly reached for the rifle he had been using.

He was transported to the hospital in stable condition and later charged by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office with two counts of murder, one count of attempted murder and possession of an assault weapon.

If convicted, he faces the death penalty or life in prison without the possibility of parole.

“Sam was a dedicated officer who represented our department with dignity and honor,” Baldwin Park Police Chief Robert A. López said of Riveros. “In the face of danger, Sam selflessly put the safety of others before his own and gave his life doing so. We will never forget Sam, and we will lean on one another in our shared grief as we move forward.”

Footage of the deadly gunfight was released by the Baldwin Park Police Department.