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Mark Cuban Donates $50,000 To Los Angeles County Deputies Shot During Compton Ambush

On Thursday, Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban donated $50,000 to each of the families of the two Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies who were wounded in a shooting ambush on September 12.

The Shark Tank co-host’s generous donation was announced the day after prosecutors charged a 36-year-old man in the shootings of 31-year-old Claudia Apolinar and her 24-year-old male partner.

Cuban explained that his Fallen Patriot Fund made the donations. The organization has raised more than $5 million in grant money to help families of US military service members killed or wounded in Iraq.

Officials Announce Arrest in Compton Ambush Case

Meanwhile, the ongoing investigation had a breakthrough on Wednesday. Authorities announced that they charged Deonte Lee Murray, 36, with two counts each of willful, deliberate and premeditated attempted murder of a peace officer. Additionally, they charged him with possession of a firearm by a felon.

Murray allegedly walked up to a police cruiser and shot the two deputies multiple times. Cameras captured the incident in a video that immediately went viral.

During a press conference on Wednesday, L.A. County Sheriff Alex Villanueva and District Attorney Jackie Lacey identified Murray as the suspected gunman and said they believe he acted alone. 

Murray has been in police custody since September 15 after an armed standoff. At the time, authorities denied his arrest had any connection to the ambush of the two cops despite a huge SWAT team presence. Additionally, multiple law enforcement sources told the media the arrest was directly related, which increased speculation.  

On Wednesday, police confirmed the two incidents were related. In addition, authorities confirmed the suspect’s discarded gun linked the two events together.

Sheriff Slams Suspect’s Actions, Calls It the “Worst of Humanity”

Villanueva announced the gunman’s arrest and denounced his actions as the “worst of humanity.”

“We saw the worst of humanity. A cowardly act where a suspect ambushed and shot and attempted to kill two of our deputies,” he said.

“This cowardly ambush was followed by bystanders celebrating and cheering that the deputies had been shot,” the sheriff continued. “And that followed at the hospital – the sanctity, the quiet sanctity of the hospital – with protesters cheering and chanting for the deputies to die.”

Supposedly, the convicted felon has ties to multiple gangs. But, authorities say Murray acted alone.

On September 15, authorities arrested Murray in connection to an armed carjacking in Compton. On September 1, he allegedly shot the male driver of the car, 51, in the leg with a rifle. 

Furthermore, he faces attempted murder, carjacking, robbery and assault charges in that incident.  Murray faces a maximum sentence of life in prison if convicted on all charges. 

Later on Wednesday, Murray arrived at a Compton courthouse for his arraignment. The suspect pleaded not guilty to all of the charges.

Officials set Murray’s bail at $6.1 million. He is in custody at the Twin Towers Correctional Facility.

[H/T Daily Mail]