Thief Shoots Deputy Outside Convenience Store

A Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy was shot five times early Friday by a man who had just stolen two 18-packs of beer from a Pico Rivera convenience store, authorities said.

Deputy Mark Bonafede, 27, was driving his patrol car by a 7-Eleven store about 1:15 a.m. Friday when he saw a man running out of the market with two cases of beer, a Sheriff’s Department spokesman said.

While Bonafede was getting out of his car to pursue the robber, Deputy Diane Hecht said, the man stopped and shot at him with a handgun, grazing his right temple and hitting the six-year veteran several times in the arm and right knee.

The gunman, who is still at large, escaped in a powder blue two-door compact car driven by an unidentified woman.

Bonafede called for help and was taken to a local hospital, where he underwent minor surgery for his wounds.

He was listed in fair condition and in good spirits, authorities said.