Alhambra Police Officer Dies in Line of Duty

SHANNON LI
Staff Writer

On July 10 at 2:30 a.m., police officer Ryan Stringer collided with another one of Alhambra Police Department’s patrol cars. Both cars were responding to a robbery when they crashed at Garfield Ave. and Main Street.
He and the other officer, Juan Carlos Mejia, were taken to Huntington Memorial Hospital for their injuries. Mejia was able to recover in a few days, but Stringer died at the hospital.
“The tragedy affects many of us, and we hope that from this point on, the firefighters and the police force will operate safely,” Alhambra Mayor Gary Yamauchi said in a council meeting.
On July 15, a funeral service was held for Stringer. Many officers from the area attended the service, where he was remembered for his outstanding commitment and perpetual cheerful attitude.
“We have lost one of our modern-day heroes and guardians of society in police officer Ryan Stringer,” Alhambra police chief Mark Yokoyama said.
Stringer graduated from the Rio Hondo Police Academy where excelled both academically and physically.
A memorial fund has been established in his name.
“We will all grieve for Ryan and [… he] will never be forgotten so let’s take one of his many lessons and turn this tragedy into a defining event in our lives,” Yokoyama said.