Off-duty LAPD cop who 'shot a colleague in the shoulder' during a camping trip in the desert is charged with attempted murder

An off-duty Los Angeles Police Department officer was arrested for attempted murder after allegedly shooting and injuring a fellow cop while they camped in the desert over the weekend. 

Deputies responded to reports of a shooting shortly before 1.30am on Sunday at the Stoddard Wells Off-Highway Vehicle Area in Apple Valley, the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department said.

They found a 48-year-old off-duty LAPD officer suffering from a gunshot wound the shoulder. The victim, whose identity was not immediately released, was airlifted to a hospital in stable condition and is expected to survive, sheriff's officials said in a statement.

Deputies arrested Ismael Tamayo, of Ontario, on suspicion of attempted murder. Tamayo, 44, is assigned to LAPD's Newton Division. 

In a statement, the LAPD described the officer-involved shooting as 'disturbing, ' and Police Chief Michel Moore expressed 'disappointment and frustration' at the incident.     

Tamayo, the shooting victim and a third off-duty officer were camping and shooting guns at the desert recreation area about 120 miles northeast of downtown Los Angeles, the sheriff's statement said. 

Stoddard Wells, which offers miles of off-road trails on federal Bureau of Land Management property, is open during the coronavirus pandemic, according to a phone recording at a number listed for the site.

The three men are friends, authorities said, and it's unclear why or how the victim was shot. The third man, described as an LAPD supervisor, was not hurt.

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Tamayo, the 48-year-old victim and a third off-duty colleague were camping and firing guns at the Stoddard Wells Off-Highway Vehicle Area in Apple Valley on Sunday when 

Los Angeles officials were cooperating with the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department, which is leading the investigation, Chief Moore said.

'The events overnight culminating in the serious injury to our off-duty officer, apparently at the hands of another member of this Department, give me great concern,' Moore said in the statement. 'I spoke earlier this morning with San Bernardino Sheriff John McMahon, pledging our full support of their criminal investigation. I am thankful our injured officer is in stable condition and expected to survive. I am committed to determining what and how this occurred.'

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LAPD Chief Michel Moore (pictured) expressed 'disappointment and frustration' at the shooting incident involving his officers

Tamayo, a 13-year veteran on the force, was in possession of a firearm when he was arrested without incident, the LAPD statement said.

The LAPD has opened an internal probe into the incident.

'Officer Tamayo has been relieved of his police powers pending the outcome of the criminal and administrative investigation,' the LAPD statement said. 

Greg Yacoubian, Tamayo's attorney, told San Bernardino Sun LAPD's comments about the shooting were premature.

'I think once the investigation shakes out he’ll be cleared of any criminal wrongdoing,' Yacoubian said of his client. 'I think it’s obviously way to early to be making those kind of value judgments about what happened.'

In an email to DailyMail.com on Monday, Yacoubian revealed that Tamayo served honorably in the military for 21 years, including multiple deployments overseas. 

'We ask that due process be allowed to run its course and that the privacy of Ismael and his family is respected,' he added. 

Tamayo remained jailed at High Desert Detention Center as of Monday on $1million bail pending a court appearance scheduled for Tuesday afternoon.