Nearly a year after a deadly shooting shook Baldwin Park, newly released bodycam footage lays out, in stark sequence, how quickly the situation escalated and how little time officers had to react.
The incident began on May 31, 2025, with what appeared to be a routine response. Officers were dispatched to Filhurst Avenue following reports of gunfire. By the time they arrived, 43-year-old Darius Wong had already been shot and killed while heading to a housewarming party. What followed was not a contained scene, but an immediate ambush.
Footage shows the first responding officer pulling up and coming under fire almost instantly. There is no pause, no attempt at negotiation — just rapid gunfire. The officer returns fire while navigating the chaos, at one point moving to assist a colleague injured by shattered glass after bullets struck a patrol vehicle.
The environment is unstable, with rounds continuing to hit nearby surfaces and officers forced to move without clear cover.
Moments later, Officer Samuel Riveros arrives. A nine-year veteran, his bodycam captures him stepping into an active firefight while simultaneously trying to manage civilian safety. He is heard urging residents to leave the area, attempting to create distance between the shooter and bystanders. As he advances along the sidewalk, he is struck by gunfire.
According to Police Chief Robert Lopez, the suspect did not let up after hitting Riveros. Instead, he continued firing, effectively pinning officers down and delaying any immediate rescue effort for both the wounded officer and Wong.
That sustained gunfire created a critical gap — seconds that might have otherwise been used to render aid.
Officers eventually reached Riveros and transported him to a hospital, but he did not survive. The footage underscores how contested that recovery was, with officers repeatedly exposed to danger as they tried to move him.
Even after being hit by return fire, the suspect, identified as 22-year-old Eduardo Roberto Medina Berumen, remained armed. Audio from the scene captures officers issuing repeated commands for him to drop his weapon. The standoff ends with his arrest, but only after a prolonged and dangerous confrontation.
