SLO police officer slain in shooting remembered as ‘talented detective,’ father of 2
The San Luis Obispo police officer killed Monday in a shooting at a local apartment complex was “a talented detective,” a “loving husband” and a father of two, city officials said.
San Luis Obispo city officials confirmed at a new conference Tuesday that Detective Luca Benedetti was slain as he and five other officers served a search warrant at an apartment on Camellia Court.
Another San Luis Obispo police officer, Det. Steve Orozco, 31, was injured in the shooting but is expected to make a full recovery, acting San Luis Obispo Police Chief Brian Amoroso said during Tuesday’s news conference.
Benedetti, 37, joined the San Luis Obispo Police Department in 2012. Before that, he served for four years with the Atascadero Police Department.
“I had the distinct pleasure of working with Luca over the past nine years,” Amoroso said Tuesday. “I considered him a personal friend, a dedicated officer, a talented detective, a proud member of the San Luis Obispo regional SWAT team, and most importantly, a loving husband and father.”
Benedetti is survived by his wife and two young children.
“We are heartbroken alongside you,” San Luis Obispo city manager Derek Johnson said in a special message to Benedetti’s family during the news conference. “Know that the entire city family will walk the path of grief with you, and we will always remember Luca’s sacrifice.”
In a news release, San Luis Obispo Mayor Heidi Harmon also expressed her grief at Benedetti’s death.
“Our community is heartbroken,” Harmon said. “Detective Benedetti loved this city and bravely gave his life so that we could live in peace and safety. Luca’s children have lost their father so we could be safe. We will hold Detective Benedetti and his family in our hearts forever.”
“As Detective Orozco recuperates at home, we are grateful that this physical wounds will heal,” Harmon added, “and we recognize that yesterday’s events have changed his life forever.”
Additionally, St. Rose Catholic School in Paso Robles, where Benedetti is a parent of a first grader, sent an email to the campus community asking well-wishers to drop off any letters of support, cards, or flowers to the school office, which will act as a collection point.
“We will place any flowers delivered to the school at the statue of Mary, which is familiar to Mr. Benedetti’s first-grade daughter,” the school wrote. “Additionally, I invite you to place a blue ribbon on the metal fence between the church and the St. Rose Catholic School kindergarten classroom in honor of the Benedetti family.”
Shooting at apartment complex ends with suspect, officer dead
According to Amoroso, a total of six officers responded to an apartment on Camellia Court at approximately 5 p.m. Monday to serve a search warrant for stolen property. They were investigating a series of late-night commercial burglaries that took place over the past week, he said.
As officers approached the apartment, they performed a standard “knock and notice” procedure, identifying themselves as law enforcement officials, Amoroso said.
After receiving no response, the officers forced the front door open and the suspect, 37-year-old Edward Zamora Giron, who was lying in wait, opened fire at them from inside the apartment, Amoroso said.
Officers returned fire and retreated, the acting police chief said.
Benedetti and Orozco were shot during the exchange of gunfire, police said.
Giron was later found deceased with a self-inflicted, fatal gunshot wound to the head and other injuries consistent with being hit by officer-related fire, Amoroso said.
Witnesses told The Tribune that the weapon used appeared to be an assault-style rifle, and San Luis Obispo County Sheriff Parkinson said Tuesday “that aligns” with the Sheriff’s Office’s investigation.
Slain SLO police officer investigated traffic incidents
According to city officials, Benedetti worked on traffic-related patrol and investigations.
In 2019, his cases included the death of a German woman who was killed while attempting to cross Madonna Road and a vehicle collision involving a pedestrian near the intersection of Los Osos Valley Road and Calle Joaquin.
Benedetti also investigated the death of a pedestrian who was struck by a car on Tank Farm Road and killed in February 2020.
About six months ago, Benedetti was promoted to detective, which is considered a “prestigious” position within the department, Amoroso said.
Benedetti’s role as a detective focused on property-related crimes.
Officer honored for DUI arrests
Benedetti received the 2017 Top Cop Award from Mothers Against Drunk Driving for “outstanding vigilance in protecting our citizens from drivers who are under the influence of alcohol and other drugs.”
According to a Facebook post issued then by the San Luis Obispo County District Attorney’s Office, Benedetti logged 116 arrests for driving under the influence in 2017.
Benedetti again was honored by MADD in 2018 with a Duece Award for making 48 DUI arrests, according to a San Luis Obispo Police Department Facebook post.
In 2012, while serving at the Atascadero Police Department, Benedetti helped deliver a baby in the police station’s parking lot after a woman and her husband stopped there for help, according to a news release from the department.
The father, Chris Devroede, entered the police station lobby asking for help, saying his wife, Orah, was in their vehicle, experiencing severe contractions and ready to give birth.
Benedetti, who was in the station at the time, ran out to the parking lot and noticed the umbilical cord was wrapped around the baby’s lower extremities, the release said.
He was able to untangle the umbilical cord, and the baby, a girl, began crying. Benedetti placed the baby into Orah Devroede’s arms as other police officers and firefighters arrived to help.
At the time, it was the first time in the Atascadero Police Department’s history that a baby had been born at the station.
A GoFundMe relief fund for the Benedetti family has been established at the following link: https://www.gofundme.com/f/detective-luca-benedetti-family-relief-fund?utm_campaign=m_pd+share-sheet&utm_medium=email&utm_source=customer.
This story was originally published May 11, 2021 at 2:15 PM.
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