A California postal worker was shot and killed by two masked assailants in an attack caught on surveillance video. Police and U.S. postal inspectors are searching for the suspects.
A California postal worker was shot and killed by two masked assailants in an attack caught on surveillance video. Police and U.S. postal inspectors are searching for the suspects.
The victim, identified as Expedito De Leon, 50, was shot multiple times while delivering mail in Irvine, California, on Thursday afternoon. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Surveillance video from a nearby business shows two masked men approach De Leon's mail truck and open fire. The suspects then fled the scene in a dark-colored SUV.
Police have described the suspects as two men, both wearing dark clothing and masks. They are believed to be armed and dangerous.
"This was a senseless and cowardly act of violence," Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer said in a statement. "We are committed to finding the suspects and bringing them to justice."
De Leon was a 20-year veteran of the U.S. Postal Service. He is survived by his wife and two children.
"He was a great employee and a loving father," said Mike Finley, a spokesman for the U.S. Postal Service. "We are heartbroken by his senseless death."
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is offering a $250,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspects.
Anyone with information about the case is asked to call the Orange County Sheriff's Department at (714) 647-7000.
* The attack occurred at around 3 p.m. on Thursday, May 16, 2023.
* De Leon was shot multiple times in the chest and head.
* The suspects fled the scene in a dark-colored SUV with a license plate that began with "8A."
* Police are reviewing surveillance video from the area and interviewing witnesses.
* De Leon is the second postal worker to be shot and killed in California in the past two years.
* In 2021, a postal worker was shot and killed while delivering mail in Oakland.
The shooting has shocked and saddened the community of Irvine.
"This is a horrific crime that has no place in our city," said Irvine Mayor Farrah Khan. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the victim's family and friends."
The U.S. Postal Service has also condemned the attack.
"We are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of our employee," said Postmaster General Louis DeJoy. "We extend our deepest condolences to his family and loved ones."
Police are continuing to investigate the shooting and are asking for the public's help in identifying the suspects.
Anyone with information about the case is asked to call the Orange County Sheriff's Department at (714) 647-7000.
