El Monte Police Chief Ben Lowry dies at 45 of unspecified ‘health issues’ – news
The body of Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) Chief Charlie Beck was flown to the Santa Monica Airport to be cremated on Friday morning following his death, at the age of 45, in a suspected automobile accident.
The announcement of the death came in a statement released at 9:33 AM PT by the LAPD.
Lowry was elected chief in October of 2016 and was re-elected in November of 2017. He also served as interim chief for a short period during the summer of 2015 after the resignation of then-LAPD Chief Charlie Beck.
LAPD Deputy Chief Michel Moore will take over as acting chief until the next election in 2020.
We will continue to keep you posted on the Chief’s status.
In the statement, the media outlet referenced an earlier statement by the LAPD on Thursday, who said that Beck’s body was en route to the Santa Monica airport via flight #H8-1043 to be flown to West Chester, Pennsylvania.
As previously reported by the Inquisitr, it was on Thursday night that a friend of Beck called the LAPD about Beck’s erratic driving.
The LAPD immediately mobilized and sent up an airplane to pick up Chief Beck, who was reportedly driving about 20 miles north of L.A. when the 911 call was made.
“The Los Angeles Police Department holds Chief Charlie Beck and his family with great compassion as we mourn his recent passing, and express our sincere gratitude for the exceptional work Chief Beck and our department have accomplished over the past twenty-six years,” the L.A. Police said in a statement.
The LAPD has said in previous statements that Beck was in good health and that his death may be drug related.
The LAPD did not say what was wrong with Chief Beck but said there were “various health issues” that prevented him from returning to work.
The statement by the LAPD also said Beck was a “man of
