El Monte Police Department, California • Line of Duty Death: June 14, 2022
On June 14th, 2022, Police Officer Joseph Anthony Santana and his partner responded to a domestic violence report where they were involved in a fatal shootout with a gunman. The incident also claimed the life of Santana’s partner, Sergeant Michael Paredes.
Santana was born in Los Angeles County, California and was raised in El Monte, California. Santana lived with his mother and two sisters and grew up in a tight knit household. Growing up, Santana loved sports and especially enjoyed kickboxing, basketball, and football. He attended El Monte high school where he met his wife, Sasha.
Santana joined the police force in September 2018, driven to join due to the encouragement and influence of his step father as well as his strong desire to give back to his community. As soon as he joined, Santana hoped to be placed in a gang-related assignment. He spent six years working for the city’s Public Works Department, and worked for three years as a San Bernardino County training deputy. Santana loved that his job allowed him to help those in need every day.
Santana is remembered as a devoted husband and a loving father to his three children, Jayde, Joshua, and Jakob. He was an honest and diligent man who worked his hardest to provide the best possible life for his family.
Joseph Anthony Santana is survived by his wife, Sasha, and their children, Jayde, Joshua, and Jakob.
