Residents offer condolences after death of fallen Pomona officer

POMONA, CA (FOX 11) - A deep sadness overwhelms the Pomona community mourning the death of fallen Officer Greg Casillas at a growing memorial outside the police department.

Casillas was shot and killed in the line of duty Friday night, leaving behind a young family.

"It's just so sad you know he didn't deserve to die and so young leaving two children and a wife," Pomona resident, Pricilla Lopez, said.

Officer Alex Nguyen was also shot.

The former police explorer now sworn officer suffered injuries to his face, but was released from the hospital Sunday night.

"I hope that he has a steady recovery and I'm praying for him often and daily," another resident said.

Investigators said the suspect 38-year-old Isaias Valencia was driving recklessly around the neighborhood when he crashed his car and ran into his apartment.

The felon with a lengthy criminal record that includes a state prison sentence for firing a weapon in a school zone, shot the two officers.

During the 15 hour barricade that followed the shooting neighbor Lucero Torres said, Valencia tried to break down the walls into her apartment to escape police.

"I think he tried making a hole through our apartment," she said. "He was shooting around to make a hole to go to the other side."

Neighbors who are still shaken from Friday night's shooting have been offered housing and mental health services.

"People are saddened obviously by what's happened, but the other aspect is that this community has really rallied," Mayor Tim Sandoval said.

Residents continued to lay flowers and say prayers at the memorial.

Others even delivered food and snacks for the department.

"I just wanted to teach my daughter young the right thing to do when an officer goes down," one man said.

Valencia is expected to make his first court appearance on Tuesday morning.