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Search Continues For Suspect Who Shot School Officer In Woodland Hills

LOS ANGELES (CBS) — Police say an LAUSD school officer wearing body armor was shot in the chest near El Camino Real High School in Woodland Hills.

The officer, identified as 8-year veteran Jeff Stenroos, was in his car on a street behind El Camino Real High School in Woodland Hills shortly after 11:30 a.m. Wednesday when he was hit, according to a Los Angeles Unified School District spokeswoman.

"He was shot in his vest. He wears a bulletproof vest so the bullet did not penetrate," district spokeswoman Susan Cox said.

Stenroos was taken to Northridge Medical Center and was reported to be conscious and breathing, Cox said. Dr. Stephen Jones said that the officer is expected to be discharged late Wednesday.

Stenroos was released from the hospital just after 6 p.m. and he is now reportedly home and surrounded by family and loved ones.

The officer suffered some minor injuries to his head and back sustained in his fall.

UPDATE: KNX 1070's Jon Baird reports officers have detained at least one suspect, but it looks like they grabbed the wrong guy.

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The suspect, who was reportedly breaking into cars, is described as a white male in his 40s with light brown shoulder-length hair wearing a dark bomber jacket and blue jeans armed with a semi-automatic handgun. A 12-block area around El Camino Real has been sealed off as officers search for the at-large suspect.

El Camino Real High, Hale Middle, Miguel Leonis Continuation School, Woodlake Avenue, Welby Way, Lockhurst and Haynes elementary schools are locked down. Lockdowns at Calabash and Pomelo elementary schools were lifted and students on those campuses will be released at their normal times.

School officials say no students were involved in this shooting, but officers are checking to make sure no one entered a campus, Deasy said.

A message posted to El Camino Real High School's website requested that parents not come to campus to pick up their children. Parents can get more information by calling their local district office at (818) 654-3600.

This is the second shooting on or near an Los Angeles Unified school campus in as many days. On Tuesday, two students were wounded after a gun hidden in a backpack fired at Gardena High School.

At a press conference Wednesday evening, LAPD Deputy Chief Kirk Albanese said the search for the suspect had been called off for the evening.

» PHOTOS: Police Search For Gunman In Officer Shooting

(©2010 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)

http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2011/01/03/reporting-potholes-los-angeles-county/
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