More than a dozen shots exchanged in LAPD ambush; manhunt continues

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An LAPD investigator collects a knife stuck in a tree as they look for evidence at an apartment building located at the corner of Washington Boulevard and Buckingham Road in Lafayette Square. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

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Evidence is examined in a van near the shooting scene. A suspect apparently confronted a woman with her baby shortly after an early morning shooting of two LAPD detectives. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

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An officer examines the crime scene. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

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SWAT officers work to clear a neighborhood near West Washington and South Rimpau boulevards. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

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SWAT officers and a police dog prepare to search a neighborhood for the shooter. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

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Police officers guard the area surrounding the LAPD’s Wilshire Division station, where a gunman fired on two undercover detectives. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

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Crime scene investigators examine the car that two LAPD detectives were in when a gunman fired on them outside the LAPD’s Wilshire Division station. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

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Neighbors gather to look at the shot-up car that two LAPD detectives were in when they were ambushed outside the police department’s Wilshire Division station. The detectives suffered minor injuries and returned to duty later in the morning. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

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A Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department SWAT team travels on Rimpau Boulevard in the Mid-City area during the search for a gunman who fired at two LAPD detectives. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

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LAPD SWAT officers search homes in the 4800 block of St. Elmo Drive. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

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LAPD SWAT officers search homes in the 4800 block of St. Elmo Drive. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

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A police officer stops traffic at a roadblock at Venice and Redondo boulevards in L.A.’s Mid-City neighborhood as the LAPD searches for a gunman who opened fire on two detectives outside the Wilshire Division station. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

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The scene outside the LAPD’s Wilshire Division station, where two detectives were attacked by a gunman early Tuesday morning. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

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LAPD officers talk to a man at a roadblock on Venice Blvd. as police search for a gunman who opened fire on two detectives outside the Wilshire Division station. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

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LAPD vehicles dot Venice Boulevard in L.A.’s Mid-City neighborhood as officers search for a gunman who opened fire on two detectives outside the Wilshire Division station. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

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A motorist passes LAPD officers on Venice Boulevard as they search for a gunman who opened fire on two detectives outside the Wilshire Division station. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

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Officers check maps near the shooting scene. (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)

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LAPD motorcycle officers stream through a roadblock on Venice Boulevard to join the search for a gunman who opened fire on two detectives outside the Wilshire Division station. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

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A police officer holding a shotgun stops traffic at a roadblock as the LAPD searches for a gunman who opened fire on two detectives outside the Wilshire Division station. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

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Venice Boulevard in L.A.’s Mid-City neighborhood is empty as police officers search for a gunman who opened fire on two detectives outside the Wilshire Division station. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

By Andrew Blankstein, Emily Foxhall and Joseph Serna

June 25, 2013 8:55 AM PT

A gunman who ambushed two Los Angeles police detectives continued shooting at police as he ran off and officers returned fire Tuesday morning in Mid-City, police said.

More than a dozen rounds were fired during the gun battle, police sources said.

In a dramatic ambush between 4 and 4:30 a.m., two undercover burglary detectives returning to the Wilshire Division station at 4861 W. Venice Blvd. were about to drive into the gated parking lot when they were attacked from behind, said Cmdr. Andy Smith.

The detectives had swiped their ID badges at the parking lot security gate and were waiting for it to open when they were ambushed from behind by a gunman.

The gunshots shattered the rear window of the unmarked police car. One of the detectives suffered a wound to the back of the head, either from a bullet or shards of glass, Smith said. The other detective suffered a minor hand injury.

The two detectives were taken to a local hospital, treated and released. The detectives, who were not identified, have been on the force for 11 and 20 years, respectively, Smith said. They are now back at the Wilshire station helping in the search for their attacker.

“They knew that these were police officers or police employees,” Smith said of the gunman. “Anybody willing to take on two police officers outside a police station is obviously a dangerous individual.”

The description of the shooter is vague, police admit. He was described as 30 and 35 years old, wearing all black clothes and a hat. Officers have detained three men but emphasized that it was too early to call them suspects.

“At the end of the day, we may brush these folks off, apologize to them and send them on their way,” Smith said.

The response to Tuesday morning’s shooting was swift. A tactical alert was issued and a 25-block area in Mid-City was shut down. Some 200 officers cordoned off the area between Washington and Pico boulevards and Redondo and Rimpau boulevards as the search continued.

Four K-9 teams were looking street by street while helicopters circled overhead and squad cars were parked every block or so. SWAT officers could be seen patrolling the area.

At the corner of Venice and Crenshaw, a small crowd was gathering.

Val Jones, 48, wondered how she was going to get home.

Wearing sweat pants and a jean jacket, the Mid-City resident lives a few blocks into the cordoned-off area on St. Charles Place. Jones said her friend didn’t have money for the bus so she walked to an ATM at about 6 a.m. to get cash. Police wouldn’t let her back to her house so she grabbed a 7-Up, a bottle of white wine for tonight, and sat on the corner to wait.

“I’m tired, I’m ready to go home and I want some breakfast,” Jones said. “Other than that they have to do what they have to do. I’m fine. I’m glad I used the bathroom before I came out. Also, if it gets to 11 a.m. I’m drinking some wine, how about that?”

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andrew.blankstein@latimes.com

kate.mather@latimes.com

emily.foxhall@latimes.com

Twitter: @anblanx

Twitter: @katemather

Twitter: @Emfoxhall