A 3-year-old child is safe after two people allegedly stole the car she was in a led police on a pursuit through Whittier before one was eventually detained, officers said.

The car’s driver, 50-year-old Whittier resident David Phillip Gonzales, was taken into custody following the brief chase, but an unidentified female was able to escape, Whittier police said in a statement posted to Facebook.

The toddler’s mother called police around 12:30 p.m. to report the car was stolen from the 8700 block of Nogal Avenue with her child still inside.

Responding officers soon located the vehicle in the neighborhood and found Gonzales inside with a female passenger, as well as the kidnapped child, police said.

The two led officers on a brief pursuit before abandoning the car in the driveway of a home on the 13200 block of Foxley Drive and fleeing on foot.

At that point the child was rescued, and officials found she was unharmed.

Police erected a perimeter around the area and soon captured Gonzales, who was arrested without incident. He has been booked on suspicion of kidnapping, child endangerment, grand theft auto and felony evading, officers said.

The female, however, still has not been found. Police did not release her identity or provide a suspect description.

Gonzales is being held on $100,000 bail and is scheduled to be arraigned on Wednesday.

Anyone with information on the incident can call the Whittier Police Department at 562-567-9270 or report anonymously at 562-567-9299.

A 14-year-old girl was fatally struck by an Amtrak train Friday night in Santa Fe Springs, according to a post on the Whittier Police Department’s Facebook page.

A 14-year-old girl was fatally struck by a train on June 9, 2017 in Santa Fe Springs. (Credit: Whittier Police Department)

Whittier police and paramedics from the Santa Fe Springs Fire Department responded to an industrial area at Pioneer Boulevard and Rivera Road about 8:50 p.m. The girl was on the railroad tracks, or in close proximity, when she was struck, police said.

The girl was taken by a helicopter to a local hospital where she died.

The investigation into the girl’s death was continuing.

No other information was released.

A building caught fire after a car crashed into multiple parked vehicles in Whittier on Wednesday, according to the Whittier Police Department.

The collision occurred around 1:20 p.m. in the 6500 block of Greenleaf Avenue.

The driver suffered a “medical event” that caused him to crash into several parked cars on the street, police said. One of the cars caught fire and the flames spread to a building nearby.

One person was injured in the incident but it is unknown if it was the driver or a pedestrian.

Drivers are asked to use an alternative route while authorities conduct their investigation, according to police.

Police are searching for two men who kidnapped a 12-year-old girl from in front of her home in Whittier Monday morning.

A 12-year-old girl escaped after she was kidnapped from in front of her residence in Whittier on June 26, 2017. (Credit: KTLA)

The girl was in front of her residence in the 13400 block of Franklin Street about 9:30 a.m. when a man grabbed her and put her in a car, the Whittier Police Department stated in a news release.

The girl told police she saw a second man inside the vehicle, which was driven a few blocks before the kidnappers pulled over and got out in the 13200 block of Dittmar Avenue.

While the men were away, the girl told police she managed to escape the vehicle and ran to a nearby adult for help.

The girl was not injured.

Police described one of the kidnappers as a Hispanic man in his 20s with black hair and a beard. He had a shaved line across his left eyebrow and was wearing a white shirt and blue jeans.

The second kidnapper was a Hispanic man in his 30s with a shaved head. He was wearing a white tank top with tan pants and had a dragon tattoo on his right bicep.

The men were driving a green four-door Chevrolet Malibu from model year 2000, or a similar sedan, police said.

Anyone with information was asked to call the Police Department at 562-567-9255, or the Crime Tipline at 562-567-9299.

Six months after he allegedly killed his cousin and then a Whittier police officer, a Los Angeles felon and alleged gang member appeared in court Monday to enter a not guilty plea.

Michael C. Mejia appears at his arraignment in Norwalk on Aug. 14, 2017. (Credit: KTLA)

Michael Christopher Mejia, 26, appeared in court in Norwalk, where he pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder and one count each of attempted murder, carjacking and possession of a firearm by a felon.

Mejia is accused of fatally shooting his 47-year-old cousin, Roy Torres, in East Los Angeles on Feb. 20. He allegedly stole Torres’ vehicle, crashing it into two other vehicles in Whittier. When police officers responded to the crash, Mejia allegedly pulled out a handgun and fired at them.

Whittier Police Department Officer Keith Boyer, 53, was killed. Another officer, Patrick Hazell, was wounded.

Boyer was a veteran of the Whittier Police Department, and the chief there called him “the best of the best.”

Testimony at a June preliminary hearing indicated the last entry in Boyer’s notebook was “Michael Mejia, 1191, Winter Gardens,” a reference to Mejia’s gang, the Whittier Daily News reported.

At the hearing Monday, Mejia looked around at those in the courtroom. He responded politely to the judge when asked about a date for his next appearance, saying “Yes, your honor.”

Michael Mejia leaves court after his arraignment in Norwalk on Aug. 14, 2017. (Credit: KTLA)

He wore glasses and an orange jail jumpsuit, with tattoos on his face and neck showing. His hands were cuffed to a chain around his hips.

Mejia was in June ordered to stand trial. His arraignment last month was delayed to Monday.

After Mejia’s plea was entered in a brief exchange, his attorney asked the judge about the conditions of his client’s jail housing, saying Mejia was not able to receive calls or visits. The judge directed the attorney to file a motion, and prosecutors indicated the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department would need to be notified as the department had asked for Mejia’s housing conditions.

Mejia had been released from state prison less than a year before the February shooting and was on probation. Days before the shooting, he served a 10-day jail sentence for violating the terms of his release, one of five such jail stays for the same violation, according to the Los Angeles Times.

He was convicted of grand theft auto in 2014 and second-degree robbery in 2010.

Authorities described him as a “known gang member” at the time of his arrest. The criminal complaint against him includes a gang allegation.

If convicted as charged, Mejia faces life in prison or the death penalty; prosecutors have not said if they’ll seek the death penalty.

He is due back in court for a pre-trial hearing on Sept. 7.

Police on Tuesday are looking for a man who is considered a "person of interest" in the "suspicious" death investigation of a woman.

Rafael Castillo is seen in a photo released by Whittier police on Sept. 12, 2017.

The woman was found unresponsive after officers were dispatched to a "man down" call in the 11700 block of Floral Avenue around 7:30 a.m. Tuesday, according to a post on the Whittier Police Department's Facebook page. She was pronounced dead at the scene, the post stated.

Officials say that firefighters had first responded to an assault or abuse call at the home, before police officers later arrived and launched a suspicious death investigation.

As detectives investigated the death, police announced they have identified 56-year-old Rafael Castillo as a person of interest in the case.

The woman who died has been identified by the local coroner as 54-year-old Sandra Polanco.

Authorities have not released a cause of death, saying only it is being investigated as suspicious.

Whittier police released this photo of a car being sought in the case.

They would not elaborate on his relationship to the victim except to say they knew each other.

However, neighbors told KTLA the two were actually a couple who lived together.

One neighbor, Guillermo Cedno, said that Castillo "seemed like a nice guy." He said Castillo reached out to him when Cedno first moved in, and once offered him a generous slab of meat during Fourth of July celebrations.

"He introduced himself when I first moved in," Cedno said. "He said, 'I live right here in the front. If you ever need anything — I'm here.'"

Another neighbor told KTLA she was friends with Polanco, describing her as a "caring" woman with a sense of humor.

"We're all very close in this complex," she said, saying of Polanco: "She was really funny, a really nice person, very caring."

Castillo is described by police as Hispanic, 5 feet 11 inches, weighing 220 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. He may be driving a 1998 Nissan Altima with license plate No. 6XEW444.

He has ties to Whittier and Reseda, officials said.

Homicide detectives spent the day combing through the victim's house and taking evidence away from the scene, video showed.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Whittier police's Investigation Bureau at 562 567-9283 or Los Angeles Regional Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.

KTLA's Cindy Von Quednow contributed to this story. 

A man who was sought as a “person of interest” in the “suspicious” death of a woman at a residence in Whittier has been arrested on suspicion of murder, police said Wednesday.

Rafael Castillo is seen in a photo released by Whittier police on Sept. 12, 2017.

Rafael Castillo, 56, was taken into custody in Reseda by Whittier officers, according to a post on the Police Department’s Facebook page.

He was questioned following a traffic stop and subsequently arrested, Sgt. Dominic Iraldo said.

He was booked at the Whittier Police Department Jail and is being held on $1 million.

Castillo is suspected in the homicide of 54-year-old Sandra Polanco, whose body was discovered in the 11700 block of Floral Avenue around 7:30 a.m. Tuesday, according to authorities.

Firefighters had responded to an assault or abuse call at the residence, where they found the deceased woman.

A cause of death was not immediately released.

Neighbors told KTLA Castillo and Polanco were a couple who lived together.

Castillo “seemed like a nice guy,” neighbor Guillermo Cedno said.

“He introduced himself when I first moved in,” Cedno said. “He said, ‘I live right here in the front. If you ever need anything — I’m here.'”

Another neighbor who was friends with Polanco described her as a “very caring,” “very nice” woman who was “really funny.”

Police have not elaborated on the relationship, confirming only that the pair knew one another.

Castillo is due in court Thursday.

KTLA’s Alexandria Hernandez contributed to this story. 

Early release laws passed by California voters are under scrutiny after a known gang member shot and killed a Whittier Police officer Monday. Courtney Friel reports for the KTLA 5 Morning News on Feb. 21, 2017.

The 26-year-old felon suspected of fatally shooting a Whittier police officer was not released from state prison early, the state corrections department announced Tuesday, contradicting earlier statements from police and sheriff’s officials.

Michael Mejia is shown in a inmate photo from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

Michael C. Mejia “served his full state prison terms as defined by law,” according a statement from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

Mejia was released from state prison on April 19, 2016, according to the statement.

Court and jail records show he had been in and out of custody for violating the terms of his release.

Mejia is suspected of fatally shooting Whittier Police Department Officer Keith Boyer as Boyer and another officer responded to a car crash in which Mejia was involved Monday morning. Mejia allegedly pulled out a gun and shot at the officers, prompting an exchange of gunfire that left all three men injured and hospitalized.

Mejia and the injured officer, Patrick Hazell, are expected to survive. Boyer’s remains were taken to Rose Hills Memorial Park in a law enforcement procession on Tuesday.

In East Los Angeles several hours before the police shooting, Mejia allegedly fatally shot a man identified by family members as his cousin, Roy Roger Torres, 47.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department homicide lieutenant leading the investigation into the Whittier shooting, John Corina, repeatedly said Monday that the suspect had been released early. The suspect was “released early release on parole” and had been out of custody for about a week, Corina said.

Alongside Sheriff Jim McDonnell, Whittier Police Department Chief Jeff A. Piper on Monday pointed to recent ballot-box propositions and state laws that they said were increasing crime.

“We need to wake up. Enough is enough,” Piper said. “You’re passing these propositions, you’re creating these laws that is raising crime, and it’s not good for our communities and it’s not good for officers. What you have today is an example of that.”

McDonnell referred to a nationwide move to “reduce incarceration,” referring to the 2011 prison “realignment” program meant to address prison overcrowding in Assembly Bill 109, and to Propositions 47 and 57.

“In this case, we don’t have enough information on this individual at this point to be able to say exactly which one of these initiatives allowed him to be out back in the population,” McDonnell said.

But the state corrections department said that no recent California criminal justice reforms had any impact on Mejia’s release date.

The only impact was by AB 109, affecting the agency to which Mejia was released, according to the state’s statement. Under AB 109, Mejia was released to Post-Release Community Supervision, meaning the L.A. County Probation Department was responsible for monitoring him instead of the state.

On Tuesday afternoon, a Sheriff’s Department news release mirrored the statement from CDCR on Mejia’s release to the county Probation Department, no longer referring to Mejia as a state parolee. Mejia left Pelican Bay State Prison in Crescent City and reported a day later to the county, on April 20, 2016, the release stated.

Mejia remains hospitalized with a gunshot wound and was booked Monday “for a flash incarceration (probation hold),” the Sheriff’s Department said.

Mejia was convicted in 2010 of second-degree robbery with a street-gang sentencing enhancement, receiving a total state prison sentence of four years, CDCR said. A judge gave Mejia credit for 302 days served.

He was paroled Jan. 26, 2014, and then about six months later returned to state prison for grant theft auto and vehicle theft. He received a “a total of four years but running concurrent to the initial sentence (from 2010) of two years,” CDCR said in an email.

Mejia was then released to county Probation Department supervision — not state parole — in April 2016. Since then, he has been arrested in L.A. County at least six times, jail records show.

He violated the terms of his release in July and received a 10-day jail sentence, and then was arrested again in September “after authorities moved to revoke his community supervision,” the Los Angeles Times reported.

In January, Mejia again violated the terms of his release and served just 10 days of a 40-day jail sentence, according to the Times. Another arrest on Feb. 2 led to a jail term that ended in a Feb. 11 release, the newspaper reported.

Mejia is a documented street gang member and Los Angeles resident, according to the Sheriff’s Department.

“We join the entire law enforcement community in mourning Officer Boyer and extend our deepest condolences to his family, friends and coworkers,” CDCR’s statement began.

A procession accompanied the body of a slain Whittier police officer from the Orange County coroner’s office in Santa Ana to Rose Hills cemetery in Whittier on Tuesday afternoon.

Officer Keith Boyer is shown in a photo displayed at a vigil for him outside the Whittier Police Department on Feb. 20, 2017. (Credit: KTLA)

The remains of Officer Keith Boyer were placed into a white hearse just before 1 p.m., and the vehicle was accompanied by fellow law enforcement en route to Whittier, arriving at Rose Hills Memorial Park just before 2 p.m.

"This is a tremendously sad time for us," Whittier Police Department spokesman Officer John Scoggins told KTLA during the procession. "Keith was an exceptional person as a friend, as a coworker, and a police officer for the community for which he served. It's a tremendous loss for us."

Boyer was killed in a shootout with a still-unidentified suspect after he and another officer responded to a vehicle crash in Whittier on Monday morning. The driver of one of the cars involved in the crash, who had recently been released from custody, opened fire on Boyer and the other officer, Patrick Hazell.

Boyer, Hazell and the suspect were all hospitalized. The latter two are expected to survive.

Whittier Officer Keith Boyer's body arrives at Rose Hills cemetery on Feb. 21, 2017. (Credit: KTLA)

On Monday afternoon, Boyer’s body was accompanied by a law enforcement procession from UC Irvine Medical Center to the Orange County coroner’s office.

Boyer was a 27-year veteran of the Whittier Police Department, the chief of which on Monday broke into tears describing the death of his longtime friend.

Chief Jeff Piper called Boyer “the best of the best,” saying he was respected by younger officers as the "go-to officer" in the field. He was the first officer killed in the department since the 1970s, Piper said.

"You don't know how hard this is," Piper told a crowd at a vigil held at the department on Monday night. "Keith Boyer ... he gave his heart and soul for this community."

Hundreds of people attended the vigil. On Tuesday, Scoggins said the department was grateful for the community's support, saying it was helping officers grieve.

Whittier police Chief Jeff Piper, right, speaks at a vigil for Officer Keith Boyer while Whittier Mayor Joe Vinatieri, left, holds a candle on Feb. 20, 2017. (Credit: KTLA)

One of Boyer's former colleagues, Mike Carson, said Boyer was "the best partner I ever had."

"Sweetest, kindest guy you'll ever meet," said Carson, who played music with Boyer, as did Piper.

Boyer had recently been talking about retiring, Piper said.

Funeral services will be held for Boyer early next week, the Police Department announced Tuesday.

Friends told KTLA that Boyer, who was divorced, leaves behind four adult children -- two sons and a stepdaughter and stepson -- and a granddaughter.

Correction: An earlier version of this article included an incorrect spelling for Patrick Hazell's last name. The post has been updated.

The man suspected of killing a police officer in Whittier and his own cousin in East Los Angeles was identified on Tuesday afternoon as 26-year-old Michael Christopher Mejia, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said.

Michael Christopher Mejia is seen in a photo released by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

Mejia, who was released from Pelican Bay State Prison last April, is suspected of fatally shooting Whittier Police Department Officer Keith Boyer and 47-year-old Roy Roger Torres in two separate incidents that happened hours apart on Monday, according to the department.

Torres was shot to death in the 1400 block of Volney Drive in East Los Angeles around 5:30 a.m., according to Rudy Molano with the L.A. County coroner's office.

Less than three hours later, Mejia allegedly opened fire on two police officers in Whittier, killing Boyer and injuring the other, the L.A. County Sheriff's Department said.

The slain officer was described as a veteran of the department who was among "the best of the best," according to Whittier Police Chief Jeff A. Piper.

The second officer, identified as Officer Patrick Hazell, is expected to survive.

Boyer and Hazell were responding to a traffic collision around 8:30 a.m. Monday when the shooting happened, according to sheriff's Lt. John Corina.

Whittier Police Department Officer Keith Boyer is shown in a photo he posted to his Facebook page on Nov. 27, 2013.

The suspect, who was driving a vehicle allegedly stolen out of East L.A., had rear-ended a car on Colima Road and Mar Vista Street, a sheriff's news release stated.

When the officers contacted Mejia they asked him to get out of the vehicle and were going to pat him down to check for weapons, according to Corina.

As he exited the car, the suspect brandished a handgun and shot at the officers, who returned fire, the release stated. It was unknown how many shots were fired during the close-range gunbattle.

Mejia was also injured and hospitalized in stable condition.

Authorities initially described him only as a "known gang member" from Los Angeles who was recently paroled on early release. Corina said he had an extensive rap sheet.

A spokesman for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation said Tuesday that Mejia was not on parole, but had been released to the supervision of the county Probation Department in April 2016.

According to the Los Angeles Times, Mejia was sentenced to four years in state prison in 2010 for robbery, and another two-year sentence in 2014 on charges including grand theft auto.

L.A. County jail records show six arrests for a Michael C. Mejia since July 2016, including Monday’s and two others this year.

Mejia was last arrested on Feb. 2 -- his second in 2017 -- for violating his release terms, the Times reported. He served a 10-day sentence before being released again.

"Unbeknownst to the Whittier police officers, when they went to pull the car over, they had a murder suspect ... in a stolen car," Corina said.

A police officer was fatally shot in Whittier after responding to a car crash on Feb. 20, 2017. (Credit: KTLA)

Torres was identified as Mejia's cousin.

A GoFundMe page set up to cover the cost of a memorial fund described Torres as a "loving" father, son, uncle and cousin, a sentiment echoed by his niece.

“He was a loving person, he’s give you the shirt off his back if you needed it,” said the woman, who identified herself as Tiffany. “He was like the older brother that I didn’t have.”

A motive for the first shooting remains under investigation.

In a tearful interview, the victim's aunt told KTLA the suspect goes by "Mikey" and lived with his grandfather in Commerce. She said he had a criminal history that dated back to when he was a child.

Roy Torres is pictured in a photo posted to a GoFundMe account.

“He’s hurt other people before, and he’s been in prison for that. And he should never have been let out. This is who they should keep in prison … he killed other people before," the aunt said through sobs. "There was no need for this to happen."

L.A. County Sheriff Jim McDonnell addressed early release and rehabilitation programs when he spoke alongside Piper at a news conference Monday afternoon.

"We're putting people back on the street that aren't ready to be back on the street," McDonnell said.

Piper, noting he'd seen a rise in violence against officers during arrests, referenced ballot-box propositions approved in the past few years that he said were aiding in increasing crime.

"You have no idea how it's changed in that last four years," the police chief said. "People don't want to follow rules. People don't care about other people."

The suspected gunman in a fatal police shooting is taken away in an ambulance on Feb. 20, 2017. (Credit: OnScene.TV)

A California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation spokesman disputed what the Sheriff's Department said, however, telling KTLA the suspect served his entire sentence and had not been released early.

The suspect was under the supervision of the L.A. County Probation Department, according to Reaver Bingham, the deputy chief of the department.

He had “not fulfilled his obligations” of probation, Bingham said. The suspect was eligible for county supervision under AB 109, a 2011 California law meant to reduce the number of inmates in state prisons.

The suspect, who had served time in a state prison, was released into the supervision of county probation because his offense was considered “non-serious, non-violent, and non-sexual," according to Bingham.

Mejia remains hospitalized and has been booked on suspicion of a probation hold, according to the release. He is being held without bail.

Charges have not yet been filed in the case.

KTLA's Melissa Pamer, Jennifer Thang and Alexandria Hernandez contributed to this story. 

A 26-year-old man suspected of killing a Whittier Police officer after allegedly killing his cousin hours earlier has been charged with capital murder, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office said Wednesday.

Michael Christopher Mejia is seen in a photo released by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

Michael Christopher Mejia faces two counts of murder and one count each of attempted murder, carjacking and possession of a firearm by a felon.

Mejia also faces a special circumstance allegations of multiple murders, murder of a police officer and murder to escape arrest. The charges make him eligible for the death penalty, officials said.

He was initially scheduled to appear in court on Thursday, but the arraignment was postponed due to medical reasons, according to Greg Risling of the DA’s office.

Mejia is suspected of fatally shooting his cousin, Roy Torres, in East Los Angeles on Feb. 20. He allegedly took the victim’s car and crashed it into two cars in Whittier, officials said.

Officers responding to the crash ordered Mejia to get out of his car when the defendant allegedly pulled out a semiautomatic handgun and fired at two officers.

Officer Keith Boyer, 53, was killed and Officer Patrick Hazell was wounded during the exchange of gunfire. Mejia was also struck.

Boyer was described as a veteran of the department who was among “the best of the best,” according to Whittier Police Chief Jeff A. Piper.

Mejia is a known gang member and had previously been convicted of second-degree robbery in 2010 and grand theft auto in 2014.

He faces the death penalty or life without the possibility of parole if he is convicted.

The decision to seek the death penalty will be decided at a later date.

KTLA’s Alberto Mendez contributed to this story. 

Public and private viewings will be held Thursday in honor of slain Whittier police Officer Keith Boyer, who was fatally shot Feb. 20 while responding to a traffic collision.

A picture of Keith Boyer is seen at a growing memorial outside the Whittier Police Department on March 2, 2017. (Credit: KTLA)

The private viewing will be held first from 4 to 6 p.m. at Whittier Area Community Church located at 8100 Colima Road, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department announced in a news release.

The viewing will then be open to the public from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m., according to the news release.

Funeral services for Boyer will be held Friday at Calvary Chapel in Downey and begin at 10 a.m. Calvary Chapel is located at 12808 Woodruff Avenue.

The service will be immediately followed by a procession to Rose Hills Memorial Park and Mortuary at 3888 Workman Mill Road in Whittier.

A 21-gun salute and Missing Man Flyover will be part of the graveside services, the Sheriff’s Department stated.

California Pizza Kitchen locations across Southern California will also donate 20 percent of customers' checks to support Boyer's family from March 6 through 8 when solicited.

The man suspected of killing Boyer was charged Wednesday with two counts of murder and one count each of attempted murder, carjacking and possession of a firearm by a felon.

Michael Christopher Mejia, 26, is accused of shooting Boyer hours after allegedly killing his cousin, Roy Torres, in East Los Angeles.

Mejia was initially scheduled to appear in court on Thursday, but the arraignment was postponed due to medical reasons, according to Greg Risling of the DA’s office.

If convicted, Mejia faces the death penalty or life without the possibility of parole.

Family, friends, fellow law enforcement and community members gathered Friday to attend the funeral of slain Whittier police Officer Keith Boyer.

Whittier Police Department Officer Keith Boyer is shown in a photo he posted to his Facebook page on Nov. 27, 2013.

A 27-year veteran of the Whittier Police Department, Boyer was killed in a shootout after responding to a traffic collision on Feb. 20.

Friday’s funeral service for Boyer was held at Calvary Chapel, located at 12808 Woodruff Ave. in Downey. It began about 10 a.m. and lasted for more than an hour and a half.

The service will be immediately followed by a procession to Rose Hills Memorial Park and Mortuary at 3888 Workman Mill Road in Whittier, where a 21-gun salute and a "missing man flyover" will be part of the graveside services.

At the funeral, Boyer was remembered by his friend and sometime bandmate, Whittier Police Department Chief Jeff Piper. The chief told Boyer's family that the department "will always be there for you."

"Keith is a hero and heroes never die. Keith would tell us not to be sad, for he's in a better place," Piper said, tearing up. "He’s playing drums with the most magnificent band imaginable."

Boyer was hired by the department in 1989 and spent time as a dispatcher, jailer and reserve before becoming a police officer in 1990.

Immediately following his death, Boyer was described as “the best of the best,” by Piper.

A portrait of Officer Keith Boyer is shown at his funeral March 3, 2017. (Credit: pool)

"He was respected for his many years of experience and younger officers looked to him for advice and guidance, so did his sergeants," Piper said.

Boyer was the department's first death since the late 1970s.

He leaves behind grown children, played the drums in a band, including with Piper, and had recently been talking about retirement, Piper said the day Boyer was killed.

Friday's ceremony began with a forceful start from Senior Pastor James Kaddis of Calvary Chapel Signal Hill.

“I believe I speak on behalf of the Lord himself when I say this, as a minister of the gospel. As the whole world is watching, we want you to understand one thing: When you come against the police, you come against God,” Kaddis said. “If you come against law enforcement, you come against that which God has ordained to protect, and you are fighting God himself. If that means that you come against law enforcement by being the element on the street of evil that they contact every day, you are coming against God. If you are writing legislation that comes against police, you are coming against God.”

He urged non-law enforcement mourners to do whatever they can to support officers.

Officers gather for Keith Boyer's funeral on March 3, 2017. (Credit: pool)

Kaddis, a friend of the Boyer family, acted as master of ceremonies during the funeral and gave a passionate and fiery pastor's message.

"Each and every single one of you, whether or not you want to admit or whether or not you want to like it, are ministers of God," he told the hundreds of officers in the room.

Kaddis introduced his Pastor Jeff Johnson, Piper, and Boyer's former partner Mike Carson, as well as family members.

Carson described Boyer as a supportive friend and coworker who never complained. He said Boyer was a "big nerd," describing a practical joke a sergeant played on the officer when they were testing out new radios.

Boyer's children eulogized their father and sang "Amazing Grace."

Officer Keith Boyer's casket is shown at his funeral March 3, 2017. (Credit: pool)

"We knew as kids growing up what our father did, and the risk, but my dad never showed fear," said son Joseph Wayne Boyer. "He absolutely loved his job."

California Pizza Kitchen locations across Southern California plan, when solicited, to donate 20 percent of customers' checks to support Boyer's family from March 6 to 8.

Michael Christopher Mejia, the man suspected of killing Boyer, was charged Wednesday with two counts of murder and one count each of attempted murder, carjacking and possession of a firearm by a felon.

Mejia, 26, is accused of shooting Boyer hours after allegedly killing his cousin, Roy Torres, in East Los Angeles.

If convicted, Mejia faces the death penalty or life without the possibility of parole.

A 26-year-old man suspected of killing a Whittier Police officer appeared in court Monday for his arraignment, but the hearing was continued to April 5, 2017. Michael Mejia faces two counts of murder and one count each of attempted murder, carjacking and possession of a firearm by a felon in relation to the Feb. 20 shootings of his cousin and Whittier Police Officer Keith Boyer.

Ellina Abovian reports for the KTLA 5 News at 1 on March 6, 2017.

A traffic collision led to a sheared fire hydrant, downed power lines and a raging structure fire in Santa Fe Springs Monday afternoon.

Dark smoke rises from a fire in Santa Fe Springs on March 13, 2017. (Credit: KTLA)

About 100 Santa Fe Springs Fire Department firefighters were battling the blaze, which was sending up thick, black smoke that was visible from across much of the Los Angeles area. Two firefighters were injured during the incident, one with moderate injuries, Chief Michael Crook said.

A commercial building and a yard filled with shipping containers were burning. By 3:30 p.m., the building appeared destroyed, aerial video from Sky5 showed.

Officials evacuated the building and adjacent buildings during the blaze, Crook said.

The Whittier Police Department said it was responding to the scene in the 13200 Los Nietos Road about 2:30 p.m., but the blaze appeared to be burning in the 12200 block, which is an industrial area.

A sheared power pole is seen at the site of a crash and fire in Santa Fe Springs on March 13, 2017. (Credit: KTLA)

Andrew Rios, the owner of a nearby business told KTLA that Multi-Link International Corp. -- a recycling company at 12235 Los Nietos Road -- is located in the building burning.

Police said the downed power lines, sheared hydrant and the fire were the result of a collision. A wooden pole holding power lines appeared to be broken off at its base and hanging in midair.

Surveillance video captured a truck knocking down a power pole in Santa Fe Springs on March 13, 2017. (Credit: Andrew Rios)

Rios' business captured surveillance video that showed a pickup truck plowing into the power pole, knocking it over.

Whittier police Sgt. Dominic Iraldo said officers were called to the scene at 1:43 p.m. He had no additional details.

A Fire Department official said the chief was on scene and could not provide details about the fire.

The roadway was closed in both directions and firefighters expected to remain at the scene for several hours.

Two people were arrested in Whittier Saturday night following several possibly related shootings in surrounding cities, officials reported.

A man and woman were arrested outside a Budget Inn in Santa Fe Springs on April 29, 2017. (Credit: KTLA)

The man and woman were arrested at about 8:30 p.m. after Whittier police responded to a report of a shooting at a hotel, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department reported in a news release. Sheriff's officials originally said the two were detained Sunday, but later corrected the date to Saturday.

Whittier and LASD detectives worked to determine if they are suspects from earlier crimes, according to sheriff's Sgt. Vincent Plair.

The two had allegedly opened fire on one another at a Budget Inn in Sante Fe Springs and were found in a stolen car, "which kind of turned them into suspects," Plair said.

Both were arrested on suspicion of stealing a car.

"It just so happened that they matched the description of the suspects in the earlier shootings in Whittier and La Mirada area," Plair said.

But officials were still working to determine whether the man and woman are the suspects wanted for a series of unprovoked shootings on Saturday in La Mirada, Pico Rivera and Whittier that left one man dead and several others injured.

A device that was found outside of a Planned Parenthood office in Whittier Saturday morning that prompted an evacuation was deemed safe, officials said.

The Planned Parenthood in Whittier is shown in a Street View image from Google Maps.

The incident was reported about 10:30 a.m. in the 7600 block of Greenleaf Avenue, Whittier Police Lt. Bryan Ellis told KTLA.

Responding officers found the device, described as a pipe with wires sticking out, near the front door of the office.

Authorities evacuated the building and closed surrounding streets as a precaution, but the device was later determined to be a hoax.

In an emailed statement, Amy Rosenthal, said that responding officers deemed the area safe.

“We are grateful for the support from our community and especially from our partners in law enforcement, and look forward to continuing to provide our patients with the health care they deserve,” she wrote.

No further details have been released about the device or who might have put it there.

KTLA’s Geoff Peters contributed to this story. 

Authorities are seeking to identify a person of interest about a hoax bomb that was found at a Planned Parenthood clinic in Whittier, police revealed Tuesday.

A person of interest sought in context with a hoax bomb planed at a Planned Parenthood is seen in photos the Whittier Police Department posted to their Facebook page on Oct. 31, 2017.

The fake device was planted at the national nonprofit’s location at 7655 S. Greenleaf Ave. on Oct. 21, the Whittier Police Department said in a statement posted to its Facebook page.

The department also shared photos of an unidentified man it hopes to question in connection with the incident. Police did not say how he could be tied to the crime.

Seen as a flashpoint in the ongoing debate about women’s reproductive rights, Planned Parenthood’s facilities across the nation have been targeted with bombs, threats, vandalism, arson and even had its patients harrassed as they seek medical services.

On Nov. 27, 2015, three people were killed and nine wounded in a mass shooting at the organization’s clinic in Colorado Springs.

Anyone who recognizes the man or has other information regarded the case can contact Whittier police at 562 567-9255.

An employee fatally shot one of two would-be robbers trying to rob a liquor store in Whittier Monday night, according to police.

Authorities were investigating after police say a store clerk shot and killed a would-be robber on Nov. 6, 2017. (Credit: KTLA)

The incident occurred shortly after 10 p.m. at Bottle House Liquor in the 6000 block of Norwalk Boulevard, Whittier Police Department Sgt. Lawson said.

Two individuals were trying to rob the store when the employee, noticing at least one of them was armed with a handgun, produced his own handgun and a shooting occurred, the Whittier Police Department stated in a news release.

One of the suspects fled the scene but the other was fatally wounded.

Authorities have not released the identity of the dead suspect.

Police initially indicated three suspects entered the store, but later revised the number to two.

Authorities are still searching for the second suspect but have not released a description, and it was unclear if the person had been wounded by the gunfire.

Anyone with information was asked to call Detective Bolanos at 562-567-9281.

KTLA's Matt Phillips contributed to this story.