B4 TUESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2019 WSCE S LATIMES.COM
world after hitting a trifecta:
He achieved his dream job,
fell in love with his girlfriend
and fixed up his “sexy truck.”
She recalled Diaz always
wanting to hold riveting dis-
cussions with his siblings
into the late hours and sing
country music in the shower.
He made a better police
officer than a country singer,
she joked, but said she will
miss him belting tunes. Her
brother, she said, never wa-
vered in his pursuitto join
the LAPD.
“You showed what it is to
be fearless,” she said. “You
will forever be the piece of
magic that the world needs.”
Near the end of her re-
marks, she said mourners
would hear the end-of-watch
call for her brother — a cere-
monial radio call signifying
an officer has fallen in theproached Diaz after the ex-
change and began threat-
ening him and his friends.
One of the young men lifted
his shirt to reveal a handgun.
Diaz and his group tried to
hurry to their car and drive
away to avoid a violent en-
counter. But the suspects
opened fire on Diaz, his girl-
friend and her brothers. The
gunfire injured one of the
brothers, who was taken to a
hospital and treated. Diaz
died at the scene, close to
Avenue 26 and Humboldt
Street.
After a six-day manhunt,
LAPD detectives arrested
two men and a woman,
identifiedas Francisco Tala-
mantes, 23; Cristian Fa-
cundo, 20; and Ashlynn
Smith, 18. All are residents of
Temecula and are being held
in jail without bail. Tala-
mantes and Facundo face
charges including murder
with special circumstances
and other counts that would
make them eligible for the
death penalty if convicted.
“He observed something
that was not right,” Father
Tesfaldet Asghedom, pastor
at Sacred Heart Catholic
Church in Lincoln Heights,
told mourners. “He tried to
correct it. Juan Jose Diaz
tried to protect the beauty of
our neighborhood.”
Throughout the bilingual
Mass, Diaz was remembered
as someone who grew up in a
tough environment and
wanted to make a difference
in the city.
Garcetti, at times fight-
ing back tears, said many
young people talk about be-
coming police officers but
eventually pursue other pro-
fessions. He thanked Diaz’s
family for their sacrifice and
dismissed the “what if ” pos-
sibilities that led to Diaz’s fa-
tal encounter. Diaz carried
the wherewithal to do what
was right when spotting
something wrong, the mayor
said.
“Juan Diaz didn’t just do
what was right some of the
time, he did what was right
all the time,” Garcetti said.
“Juan reminds us that our
lives are worth something.”
Sarahy Diaz said her
brother told her weeks ago
that he was “on top” of the
line of duty. She called it her
brother’s beginning — not
end.
“Brother, your watch has
just begun,” she said.
Diaz is the 211th LAPD of-
ficer to die in the line of duty.
He was buried at Forest
Lawn Memorial Park in the
Hollywood Hills.Officer’s funeral ‘a profound day of loss’
LAPD officers and those from across the country listen as Sarahy Diaz eulogizes her brother, Juan Jose Diaz, on Monday. Not long ago, she
said, he told her he was “on top” of the world: He achieved his dream job, fell in love with his girlfriend and fixed up his “sexy truck.”Al SeibLos Angeles TimesMOURNERSat the services at Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels included law
enforcement from across the state and the country with state and local officials.Al SeibLos Angeles TimesOFFICERSsalute as Diaz’s coffin is carried into the cathedral. Police Chief
Michel Moore told the audience that Diaz’s fellow officers “will never forget him.”Al SeibLos Angeles TimesBrian van der BrugLos Angeles Times
MAYOREric Garcetti, left, eulogizes Diaz, at times fighting back tears. In his
address, he thanked Diaz’s family for their sacrifice. Right, an honor guard.Brian van der BrugLos Angeles Times‘Juan Diaz didn’t
just do what was
right some of the
time, he did what
was right all the
time.’
—Mayor Eric
Garcetti[D iaz,from B1]
SAN JOSE — The young-
est victim of the mass shoot-
ing at the Gilroy Garlic
Festival,who loved comic
books and listening to ro-
mantic ballads by his favor-
ite artist, was laid to rest
Monday.
About 300 friends and
family of Stephen Romero
remembered the 6-year-old
as a happy and outgoing kid
who loved to dress up as Bat-
man and listen to the
Weeknd.
Asmall, open white cas-
ket was placed at the front of
a San Jose auditorium and
flanked by large photos of
the boy and wreaths of flow-ers, including one with a
Batman logo. It was the last
memorial service for the
three people killed July 28
when a gunman opened fire
at the popular food festival.
He also killed 13-year-old
Keyla Salazar of San Jose
and Trevor Irby, 25, of Rom-
ulus, N.Y. More than a dozen
people were injured.
Monterey County Super-
visor Luis Alejo, who at-
tended the funeral service,
said the boy was buried at a
San Jose cemetery.
The boy’s mother, who
was also shot at the festival,
was at the funeral with a cast
on her left arm, Alejo said.
Stephen was described
by his grandmother as a
kind, happy and playful kidwho had just celebrated his
birthday in June at
Legoland in Southern Cali-
fornia. A poster with a photo
from that birthday celebra-
tion was signed by those at
the funeral.
“Stephen, I miss you. Ev-
ery time I see you, you always
give me a big hug. I’m going
to miss you a lot. Love, Ar-
lene,” a message read.
Stephen was called “El
Romantico” by his uncle be-
cause of his good manners,
his pressed, button-down
shirts and his love of ballads
by his favorite singer, the
Weeknd.
“He wouldn’t leave the
house unless he had cologne
on,” Noe Romero told the
San Francisco Chronicle.Last Gilroy victim, 6, mourned
associated pressOn or off
the Strip,
we’ve got
you covered.
Get the latest with the new
L.A. Times Vegas newsletter.
Find out where to stay, where to eat,
and what to see along with travel tips,
the hottest deals and how to get the
most out of your next trip.
Sign up today at
newsletters.latimes.com