PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (AP) – California prosecutors charged a man with first-degree murder and other crimes Wednesday in the ambush shootings of two Palm Springs police officers, saying he deliberately attacked them for no reason.
John Hernandez Felix, 26, was charged with multiple felonies, Riverside County District Attorney Michael Hestrin announced. Attached to the murder charges are special-circumstance allegations of murder of a police officer in the line of duty, multiple murder and lying wait. He also will face three counts of attempted murder.
“This individual wanted to kill police officers,” Hestrin said, adding that the defendant prepared by wearing soft body armor. “That’s the motive.”
The prosecutor said Felix would be assigned an attorney to speak on his behalf this week.
Officers Jose “Gil” Gilbert Vega and Lesley Zerebny were responding to a domestic disturbance call at the home of Felix’s family on Saturday when Felix shot and killed them with an AR-15 rifle, authorities said.