Los Angeles police officer arrested after allegedly trying to meet with minor for lewd purposes in Monrovia

LOS ANGELES () — A Los Angeles Police Department officer was arrested in Monrovia on suspicion of arranging to meet someone he believed was a minor for lewd purposes, authorities said.

According to Monrovia police, a 30-year-old man was arrested after allegedly arranging to meet someone he believed was a minor. Police said the man identified himself as an employee of the LAPD.

The suspect was identified as Leonardo Arturo Ruiz.

A group that says it targets suspected child predators in chat rooms told Eyewitness News that it lured Ruiz to a Monrovia neighborhood by posing as a 16-year-old girl. The group said it provided screenshots of its conversations with Ruiz to Monrovia police.

Video posted by the group shows Ruiz running and being chased by members of the group several times until police arrived. According to Monrovia police, Ruiz was arrested at about 10 p.m. Thursday.

The investigation is ongoing.

Ruiz was later released because law enforcement has 48 hours to present the case to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.

The LAPD said Ruiz has been placed on administrative leave and that the department is cooperating with the investigation.