FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif. (KABC) — A Los Angeles police officer died Thursday during an on-duty training exercise in Huntington Beach, officials said.
The officer was identified as Thomas Denton, who was assigned to the LAPD’s Metropolitan Division.
The incident occurred about 11 a.m. in Huntington Beach. Eyewitness News has learned Denton was training as part of the dive team.
Los Angeles Police Department
Denton was rushed to Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley after the incident.
Authorities have not released details about what occurred during the training exercise or the exact location of the incident.
A procession was held Thursday evening.
Fellow officers, firefighters, relatives and friends lined the streets as the procession transported Denton’s body from the hospital to the Orange County Coroner’s Office in Santa Ana.
“Officer Denton dedicated his life to serving others and embodied the values of courage, commitment, and sacrifice. We honor his memory and extend our deepest condolences to his family, friends, and fellow officers. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers,” the department wrote in a post on social media.
Denton joined the LAPD in 2006 and was serving in the Metropolitan Division, an elite tactical support unit. The circumstances surrounding his death remain under investigation.
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