'Those police officers walked into a trap': Suspect in Palm Springs police killings charged with murder

1/26

James Carter, 11, grandson of Officer Jose “Gil” Vega, is comforted by family members during a vigil for the slain Palm Spring police officers.

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

2/26

The Palm Springs community mourns along with the family of slain Officer Jose “Gil” Vega during the memorial. Vanessa Vega, 9, second from right, and the rest of her family during the vigil.

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

3/26

The Lacey and Burden family, along with other community members, attend a vigil.

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

4/26

Community members grieve during a vigil for slain police officers.

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

5/26

Ricardo Hinojosa, nephew of Officer Jose ‘Gil’ Vega, is comforted by family members after a vigil.

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

6/26

Community members attend a vigil for the 2 slain Palm Springs police officers.

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

7/26

Community members attend a vigil for the slain Palm Spring police officers.

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

8/26

Family members of slain police officers Jose ‘Gil’ Vega bow their heads in prayer as they attend a vigil.

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

9/26

Police Chief Bryan Reyes holds a news conference in front of the police station in Palm Springs.

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

10/26

Palm Springs Police Chief Bryan Reyes pauses for a moment during a news conference.

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

11/26

Community members grieve in front of the makeshift memorial in front the Palm Springs Police Department.

(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)

12/26

Family members of Palm Springs police officers killed and injured are paying their respect at a memorial set in front of the police station in Palm Springs.

(Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

13/26

Family members of Palm Springs police officers killed and injured are paying their respect at a memorial set in front of the police station in Palm Springs.

(Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

14/26

Family members of Palm Springs police officers killed and injured are paying their respect at a memorial set in front of the police station in Palm Springs.

(Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

15/26

Palm Springs police officers search for a suspect after three Palm Springs officers were shot, two of which were killed in Palm Springs.

(Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

16/26

Palm Springs police officers search for a suspect after three Palm Springs officers were shot, two of which were killed in Palm Springs.

(Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

17/26

Palm Springs police officers search for a suspect on Bahada Road after three of their colleagues were shot, two fatally.

(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

18/26

Palm Springs police officers search for a suspect after two officers were shot and killed and one was wounded.

(Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

19/26

Palm Springs police officers search for a suspect after three of their colleagues were shot Saturday, two fatally.

(Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

20/26

Police officers patrol Palm Springs on Saturday, searching for a gunman who opened fire on officers at a residence.

(Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

21/26

Palm Springs police officers search for a suspect accused of gunning down two police officers and injuring a third on Saturday.

(Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

22/26

Officers from multiple agencies investigate a shooting scene in Palm Springs in which two police officers were killed and a third was wounded.

(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

23/26

Palm Springs police officers on Chuperosa Road stand watch after three officers were shot.

(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

24/26

Palm Springs police officers on Chuperosa Road block access to a pedestrian after shootings in a residential neighborhood on Saturday.

(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

25/26

Palm Springs police officers stand watch on Chuperosa Road after the shootings.

(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

26/26

A Palm Springs police officer wears a black band on his badge after two colleagues were killed and a third injured in a shooting Saturday afternoon.

(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

By Richard Winton

Oct. 12, 2016 12:15 PM PT

The man accused of shooting and killing two Palm Springs police officers had set a trap and ambushed his victims as they stood outside his door Saturday, according to the Riverside County district attorney, who announced the filing of capital murder charges Wednesday.

John Felix, 26, faces two counts of murder with the special circumstances of multiple murders, murder of a police officer in the line of duty and lying in wait.

“He wanted to gun down police officers because they wore the uniform,” Dist. Atty. Mike Hestrin said at a news conference. “He was deliberate in his actions. He attacked the officers for no reason other than they were officers coming to a call.”

Hestrin said Felix was “prepared” for the attack.

“I would describe this as an ambush,” he said. “Those police officers walked into a trap.”

The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department previously said that Felix used an assault rifle with an extended magazine to fire on Officers Lesley Zerebny, 27, and Jose “Gil” Vega, 63, through a metal security gate.

Felix also has been charged with three counts of attempted murder for allegedly firing at three other officers, one of whom was wounded and survived. That officer was discharged from the hospital on Sunday and “is doing well,” the Palm Springs Police Department said in a statement. The remaining officers have not been identified.

Authorities said Felix wore body armor during the shooting and that he was prohibited from owning or possessing firearms because he was a convicted felon. Felix, who also allegedly used armor-piercing bullets, has been charged with being in possession of a stolen AR-15 assault-style rifle, Hestrin said.

“My dad was a Palm Springs officer,” Hestrin said. “My heart aches for what happened.”

Hestrin said he would decide within three weeks whether to seek the death penalty.

Felix, an admitted gang member, spent 18 months in state prison after he was convicted of assault with a deadly weapon in 2010. He had been off parole since last year, according to officials.

Felix is scheduled to make his first court appearance and be arraigned Thursday.

On Tuesday, the Sheriff’s Department said the officers who were killed were responding to a family disturbance at Felix’s home in the 2700 block of Cypress Road just after noon Saturday. A family member told officers that Felix was armed, sheriff’s officials said in a statement Tuesday.

“Officers spoke to Felix through a metal screen door and instructed him to step outside so they could conduct their investigation,” the department said. “Without provocation or warning, Felix fired upon the officers with an assault rifle.”

The officers were wearing ballistic vests at the time of the attack, according to the statement.

Felix was arrested after a lengthy standoff.

A new mom and a 35-year-veteran two months from retirement; Palm Springs mourns the loss of first officers killed on duty since 1962 »

In 2010, Felix was convicted of assault with a deadly weapon after an initial charge of attempted murder the year before. He admitted to being a member of a criminal gang as part of the sentencing and served 18 months in prison. In 2013, he was accused of resisting arrest by Palm Springs police on the same street where Saturday’s shooting occurred. He pleaded guilty to a count of malicious noise.

Saturday’s shooting stunned Palm Springs and sparked widespread mourning for the two slain officers.

Zerebny had returned to work early to help out after giving birth to her daughter, now 4 months old. She’d been an officer with the Palm Springs Police Department for just 1½ years.

Vega had submitted paperwork for a December retirement after a 35-year career with the department. Vega, a father of eight, wasn’t scheduled to work Saturday but had picked up an overtime shift.

Memorial services for Vega and Zerebny will take place at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the Palm Springs Convention Center. Graveside honors for Vega are scheduled immediately afterward at the Coachella Valley Public Cemetery, in Coachella. Services for Zerebny will be held at a private location open to family members only.

richard.winton@latimes.com

Twitter: @lacrimes

Times staff writer Hailey Branson-Potts contributed to this report.

ALSO

Federal report cites bias, violence against minorities by San Francisco police

Death of LAPD detective investigating Derrick Rose rape allegations called likely suicide

Woman accused of fatally stabbing Chinese acupuncturist 41 times in Palo Alto home