Mayor Daniel Crespo Of Los Angeles Suburb Killed After Wife Levette Shot Him To Stop Him From Beating Their Son

UPDATE: Sources say Levette Crespo shot her husband, Bell Gardens Mayor Daniel Crespo, allegedly to stop him from beating their son.

The Los Angeles community was hit with a devastating blow after news broke that the mayor of a Los Angeles County city was shot and killed September 30.

Daniel Crespo, 45, mayor of Bell Gardens, was shot several times in the torso from what homicide detectives believe was from his wife Levette Crespo, 43.

On Tuesday afternoon, Levette and Daniel Crespo had allegedly gotten into an disagreement when paramedics were called to their Bell Garden condominium on the 6300 block of Gage Avenue around 2:30 p.m., explained Sheriff's Deputy Crystal Hernandez.

The couple's son, Daniel Crespo Jr., 19, tried to intervene during the argument when the mayor got into a struggle with him. This was when Lavette grabbed a gun and shot her husband in the torso several times.

Mayor Crespo died en route to a hospital, Bell Gardens Fire Department officials confirmed.

Both son and wife were taken in for questioning.

Daniel was taken to a nearby hospital for injuries to his face from the scuffle between him and his father. Authorities then questioned him.

A statement on the city's website from Mayor Pro Tem Priscilla Flores read, "Our thoughts and prayers should be with Mayor Crespo's family at this tragic time."

As reported in the Los Angeles Times, condo resident Anna Maria said, "It's a horrible day. He was such a nice man and was so important to the city."

California State Sen. Ricardo Lara, D-Bell Gardens, and State Assemblymember Cristina Garcia, D-Downey, released a joint statement Tuesday night, saying that "as representatives and residents of Bell Gardens ... [the shooting] is shocking and a tremendous loss for our close-knit community. Mayor Crespo was a respected public servant who dedicated his life to protecting and helping others in southeast Los Angeles and throughout the region."

A biography on the city's website read that the couple were high school sweethearts who met in New York. They married in 1986.