LA County sheriff’s deputy critical after off-duty shooting

ALHAMBRA, Calif. – A Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy was been shot in the head and critically wounded Monday as he waited in line at a fast-food restaurant, authorities said.

The deputy was off-duty and in civilian clothes when he was shot shortly before 6 p.m. at a Jack in the Box restaurant in Alhambra, an eastern Los Angeles suburb, sheriff’s officials said at a news conference.

“The deputy is currently in critical condition and he needs our prayers … to see whether he can pull through,” Sheriff Alex Villanueva said.

He didn’t release the deputy’s name.

Authorities are looking for a gunman who was seen driving away in a 2006 white Kia Sportage SUV with paper plates.

The man was wearing a white fedora hat when he fled but is believed to have changed clothes, authorities said.

“There doesn’t appear to be an overt motive” based on security video footage, sheriff’s Homicide Bureau Capt. Kent Wegener said.

He said the deputy walked into the restaurant and ordered food. He was standing at the counter waiting for the food when the gunman approached and shot him once in the head, then left immediately, Wegener said.

“He was off-duty, in civilian clothes. There was nothing overtly that would indicated he was a law enforcement officer,” Wegener said.