The 35-year-old Baldwin Park official, shot and killed in duties, will be remembered at an Ontario service ceremony Thursday morning.
Officer Samuel Riveroz, a nine-year veteran in the central part of San Gabriel Valley, was shot dead on the night of May 31 when he responded to a report of a man with a firing shot of a rifle. Liberos was shot when he arrived at the scene where another man was fatally shot to help another officer.
Riveros’ additional service ceremony is scheduled for 10am at Toyota Arena in Ontario. I was hoping that my family, friends, Baldwin Park Police Chief Robert Tropez, Bishop Carlbed and law enforcement colleagues would join the service.
Private burials will follow the ceremony and will be streamed live above. Liberos is survived by his parents, siblings, nie and nephew.
Liberos was the first Baldwin Park officer to be killed in duties in department history.
“We are grateful for the love, support and prayer pouring out from our community, our brothers and sisters,” the department said in announcing the services. “Thank you for standing with us, we honor the memory of Officer Liberos.”
Other officers explain that Liberos is dedicated to a life of service and sacrifice.
“He’s my close friend, you know, and it breaks my heart. It breaks the community,” Detective Mark Bellmen, who once patrolled the streets with Liberos, said earlier this month. “No doubt. If you ask Sam, he wouldn’t do that otherwise. He would have always had a bullet for us. If he had the chance, he would still come across that gunshot.
Here’s what we know about the murder of a man in Baldwin Park and the ambush of Baldwin Park police officer Samuel Liberos.
A 22-year-old man has been arrested and charged with two counts of first-degree murder involving special circumstances or other crimes. He was injured in the shooting along with Liberos and the other officers.
According to neighbors, minutes before Liberos and other officers arrived, the shooter killed the man who had argued about the parking space. Investigators say they have not yet checked their neighbor’s accounts.
The victim was identified as 43-year-old Darius Wong. Wong had been visiting relatives for the new construction squad when he was shot dead, the family said.
Anthony Pimentel, a second Baldwin Park officer, was injured by glass shattered from the impact of a bullet. He arrived in another car with Officer Alfredo Real and was fired immediately, authorities said. Liberos arrived quickly and was hit by a shooting, the Sheriff’s Office said.
Other Baldwin Park police officers arrived and fired fire at the shooter who was hit in at least one round.
Sheriff Robert Luna said the “AR-15-style” weapon and two large-capacity magazines were found near the shooter. Authorities said more than 40 rounds were fired from the weapon.
