Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department sergeant died after an apparent medical emergency in Compton, officials said.

Deputy Caroline Rodriguez said that, the sergeant, identified as Al Lopez, was responding to “an assist on a stolen vehicle” at about 5:15 a.m. when what authorities described as a “single-vehicle collision” occurred at Willowbrook Avenue and Myrrh Street.

Sheriff Jim McDonnell said Lopez was found about 100 yards away from the station. “We have not yet got any additional information as to what happened in that 100 yards but by all indications, it looks like it may have been a medical emergency,” McDonnell said.

“Well respected by his peers, by everybody who had the opportunity to work with him, so it is a tremendous loss to all of us,” McDonnell said.

Brian Moriguchi, president of the union that represents sheriff’s supervisors, said that, “Mourning the loss of one fallen brother is hard enough.”  “But two in the span of three weeks seems unbearable. This is when the department and this union truly feels like a close-knit family. We’ll grieve together, but we’ll also stand firmly for those left behind.”

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- Nandini