Armando Cantu, known fondly as Mando and Junior to close friends and family, was born in San Diego, California, before moving to Texas as a child. As everyone who knew him would attest, his Texas pride was incomparable. After graduating from Conroe High school in 1997, Armando enlisted in the United States Marines Corps.

 

Armando served in the Marine Corps for eight years, including a tour in Iraq during Operation Iraq Freedom. He trained at Ft. Lenard Wood and was stationed in Twentynine Palms. Armando remained dedicated to his fellow veterans. In February of 1999, Armando married the love of his life Beta Ka’Shaun. They first met in seventh grade and were inseparable ever since.

 

In 2001, Armando’s life was forever changed when he gave his life to Jesus Christ. Armando answered the call of ministry and faithfully served in various auxiliary ministries within the church community. Armando became a member of The True Vine Fellowship Ministries in 2001, where he served on the board of trustees, volunteering with the men’s Higher Life outreach program and as an active parent volunteer for the youth department, and mentoring fellow veterans in the Armor of God program. In 2007, he was ordained as an Elder. Armando truly loved spreading the gospel and actively found ways to help his fellow veterans follow in his faith.

Armando joined the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department on April 21, 2007. Upon graduating with the 168th Academy Class, Armando was assigned to the West Valley Detention Center and the Central Detention Center. In 2008, Armando was assigned to the Morongo Basin Station and spent time on patrol and as a juvenile deputy. The Morongo Basin Station is a tight-knit community and working as a deputy there meant joining the family. And Armando stepped up to the challenge to serve with his brothers and sisters of the Sheriff’s Department.

Attending classes while working as a Deputy, he graduated from Kaplan University with a degree in Criminal Justice. Then in 2018, Armando was promoted to Detective and assigned to Yucaipa Station. In 2019, he was assigned to the Narcotics Division where he worked in the DEA Task Force and on the Marijuana Suppression Team.

On November 18, 2021, Detective Armando Cantu passed away from a work-related illness. Armando leaves behind his wife Ka’Shaun, son Samuel, parents Armando and Debra, brother Daniel, and his True Vine Fellowship Ministries church family.

At approximately10:41pm, on Friday, February 25, 2022, Salinas Police Officer Jorge David Alvarado conducted a traffic stop in the area of Market and Griffin Streets. During the stop, a subject opened fire on Officer Alvarado and he was fatally shot. Officer Alvarado’s heroic action during the confrontation directly led to the arrest of the suspect. Salinas Chief of Police Robert Filice stated, “The officer stayed in the fight all the way to the end. Ultimately, he paid the price for it. He gave his life for it. But thanks to his actions, we were able to apprehend the suspect, and we currently have him in custody.

Officer Jorge David Alvarado, age 30, was a five-year veteran of the Salinas Police Department and a U.S. Army veteran. He had previously served with the Colma Police Department for four years. He is survived by his fiancee and his mother.

 

At approximately 6:30pm on Saturday, February 19, 2022, Huntington Beach PD’s helicopter “HB1” was responding to a disturbance call in Newport Beach when it crashed into the waters off the southeast end of Lido Peninsula. The Orange County Fire Authority, Orange County Sheriff’s Department, and Anaheim Police Department dispatched their helicopters to assist with the rescue effort, according to aircraft tracker ADS-B Exchange.

Despite all heroic rescue efforts, Officer Nicholas Vella died of injuries sustained in the crash. A second officer, a 16-year veteran, was transported to a hospital where he was listed in stable condition before being released the following day.

Officer Vella, age 44 and a 14-year veteran of the Huntington Beach PD, was devoted to his wife, Kristi Tovar, and teenage daughter, Dylan. He is also survived by his  parents, John and Marcella, brother John Arthur, and multiple extended family members.

On November 2, 2019, Lemoore Police Officer Jonathan Diaz was shot and killed while intervening in a domestic violence incident. He was attending a birthday party at a home on Eddy Street, near Carolyn Avenue, in Hanford when another partygoer was violently assaulted by her boyfriend. Officer Diaz was able to move the woman outside to safety and then returned into the home to de-escalate the incident. As Officer Diaz re-entered the home the man opened fire, killing Officer Diaz and wounding his own father. The subject then killed himself.

Officer Diaz was a three year veteran of the Lemoore Police Department and had previously served with the Huron Police Department for three years. He is survived by three children, his parents, and three siblings.

On November 14, 2018, at approximately 7:30am, Gardena Police Officer Toshio Hirai was was en route to the station on his department motorcycle when he was struck by a car at the intersection of Western Avenue and 238th Street, in Harbor City. The other driver was a 17-year-old girl who stopped at the scene and cooperated with investigators. She was licensed and neither drugs nor alcohol were suspected as factors in the crash. 

Officer Hirai was transported to the hospital with critical injuries and, tragically, he passed the following day.

Officer Hirai, age 34, was a 12 year veteran of the Gardena Police Department. He is survived by his wife and 2-year-old son.

At approximately 4:35am on Sunday, August 22, 2021, Galt Police Officers Harminder Grewal and Kapri Herrera were traveling northbound on Highway 99 on their way to assist with the Caldor Fire in El Dorado County. Just north of Dillard Road in Sacramento County, a Dodge Ram pickup truck traveling southbound on Highway 99 hit the center median, broke through a barrier and entered the northbound lanes, striking the officers’ patrol vehicle head-on. Both officers had to be extricated from the vehicle and were transported to the hospital in critical condition. The pickup driver was pronounced deceased at the scene by fire personnel. Two other passengers in the pickup, both 26-year-old men, were hospitalized with injuries described as moderate. The CHP said it was not known whether drugs or alcohol played a role in the collision.

 

Tragically, Officer Grewal’s injuries were not survivable and he passed away on Thursday, August 26th. Officer Herrera was most recently listed in critical, but stable condition.

 

Officer Grewal was a 2½ year veteran of the Galt Police Department. He is survived by his parents, brother, and a countless number of family, friends, and loved ones.

On November 12, 2003, while on patrol, Officer Dan Walters and his partner stopped to cover another officer on a traffic stop involving a violent domestic disturbance in progress in Southeastern Division. Unbeknownst to Officer Walters, the initial officer had just been shot at and hit in the handcuff case. As Officer Walters exited his vehicle, the suspect advanced and pointed a handgun at Officer Walters’ face. Officer Walters attempted to disarm the suspect and during the struggle, the suspect shot Officer Walters in the neck. As he fell into the street, Officer Walters was struck by a passing motorist, causing additional traumatic injuries.  Officer Walters was transported to a local hospital where it was determined he was paralyzed from the neck down and sustained several other serious medical injuries.

The suspect was shot by officers and later died.  The surviving officer credits Officer Dan Walters with saving his life.

Officer Walters remained paralyzed and had to endure countless surgeries and medical procedures to address a multitude of medical issues arising from the original injuries.  Tragically, on April 23, 2020, Officer Dan Walters succumbed to complications from the injuries he sustained on November 12, 2003.

Officer Walters had served with the San Diego Police Department for five years at the time of the incident that ultimately took his life.  Before serving with the San Diego Police Department, Officer Walters was drafted by the Houston Astros and played two seasons of Major League Baseball with the San Diego Padres.

On February 17, 2021, Sergeant Richard P. Brown passed away from complications related to the COVID-19 virus.

Sergeant Brown was a 28-year veteran of the Fresno Police Department and served many different assignments over his long career, including the Training Unit, SWAT, and Mounted Patrol.  At the time of his death he was assigned to Patrol in the Central District.

Sergeant Richard Paul Brown, age 55, is survived by his wife and three children.

 

On Saturday, November 14, 2020, Deputy Probation Officer II Julio Beltran passed away from complications related to the COVID-19 virus.

Officer Beltran was a seven-year veteran of the Riverside County Probation Department who began his career in 2013.  He worked with both juvenile and adult clients at assignments with Juvenile Services Division, Southwest Services Division, Special Services Division, and supervised an adult caseload in his most recent assignment with the Central Services Division.

Colleagues remember Officer Beltran as a vibrant, funny, and endearing person who was dedicated to helping clients in his care make positive changes in their lives.  He is also remembered for the extra time he took assisting colleagues and mentoring young Probation Officers.

Officer Julio Beltran, age 34, is survived by his wife, son, and parents.

On the afternoon of Sunday, July 25th, at approximately 1:00pm, Deputies from the Kern County Sheriff’s Office responded to a 911 call reporting an armed man, the subject of a restraining order, was at a home near the intersection of 1st Street and Poplar Avenue in Wasco. Screaming and gunfire could be heard in the background of the 911 call.

Responding deputies encountered a woman fleeing the home who stated at least two people inside the home had been shot. The suspect fired at deputies then barricaded himself in the home. The agency’s SWAT team was deployed and a standoff ensued. At approximately 3:00pm the suspect opened fire on members of the SWAT team as they approached the home. Deputy Phillip Campas and another deputy were struck by the gunfire. Both Deputies were transported to a local hospital where, tragically, Deputy Campas succumbed to his wounds.

At approximately 6:28pm, the suspect, armed with an AK-47 rifle and a handgun, climbed onto the home’s roof where he exchanged gunfire with deputies, according to Kern County Sheriff Donny Youngblood.

The suspect was shot and killed in the exchange. Inside the house deputies found three people deceased with gunshot wounds — a woman, age 42, and two males, age 24 and 17. The two male victims were the suspect’s sons, and the woman was their mother, the Sheriff said.

 

Deputy Phillip Campas, age 35, was a five-year veteran of the Kern County Sheriff’s Office, and a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps who served in Afghanistan.  He is survived by his wife and three young children, age 6, 9, and 13.