Whittier Police Chief Jeff Piper identified the deceased officer as veteran officer Keith Boyer, of Whittier, and the wounded officer as Patrick Hazell, also of Whittier.
Boyer, a father and grandfather, was a couple years away from retirement, said Jeff McNeal, his friend and bandmate.
“He was genuinely the nicest guy you’d ever want to meet and he had a great joy of performing music and bringing smiles to people,” said McNeal, the lead vocalist and founder of the Temecula rock band Mrs. Jones’ Revenge. “He was proud of the work that he did and we were proud of the work that he did both on and off the stage.”
McNeal said Boyer was a lifelong resident of Whittier. The two met several years ago through a mutual friend and in 2014, when the band was in need of a drummer, McNeal gave Boyer a call.
“He was an exceptional musician,” McNeal said. “When he joined our band, he elevated us to a new level that wouldn’t have been possible. His skill was such that we were able to play more challenging, more difficult songs.”
Whittier police Officer John Scoggins said Boyer was the third in the city’s history to be killed in the line of duty.
This happened in our neck of the woods. Wifey and I know some Whittier Police officers. God rest the soul of Officer Boyer.