James Wells

**James Kenneth Wells** is a El Monte Police Department (EMPD) Police Officer and SWAT operator. He is also a competitive shooter.

## Early Life

James Kenneth Wells was born on March 13, 1995 in Chula Vista, California to dental assistant Kathleen Wells (née Fernandez) and computer technician Alan Wells. James took up competitive shooting when he was 12 and went on to compete in several local tournaments. James graduated from Sweetwater High School. James attended the University of San Diego where he graduated in 2017 with a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering. While at USD, James competed for a local shooting team.

## Career

James unsuccessfully applied to the United States Border Patrol, following his rejection he applied for several police departments throughout Southern California, before eventually being accepted by the El Monte Police Department in Los Angeles County. James graduated in the top ten percent of his academy class and was awarded top shot. James began his career in patrol, in 2020 he transferred to the street crime team. In 2022, James was accepted to the El Monte Police Department’s Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team.

In 2021, James became a member of the Los Angeles Precision Shooting Team, also known as Sentinel Blue. In 2023, James became Captain of the Sentinel Blue Men’s Team. James is sponsored by sponsored by TacWorks Academy for equipment, ammunition and training, clothing and shooting gear, and by Taran Tactical Innovations for handguns and competition gunsmithing. James uses a SIG Sauer P226 as his duty handgun for the Agency category, a SIG Sauer P226 as his Standard category handgun, and a SIG Sauer P320 X-Five customized by Taran Tactical Innovations as his Unlimited category handgun. James uses a LWRC M6 rifle and a Remington 870 Police as his Agency and Standard category rifle and shotgun respectively. James uses a TTI TR-1 Ultralight and a Benelli M2 Tac Ops, both customized by Taran Tactical Innovations as his Unlimited category rifle and shotgun respectively.

James joined the Sentinel Blue Tier One Team in November 2023.

### Jeremy Young Shooting

In 2022, James was on patrol with his partner, officer Antonio Velez, when a man, later identified as 37 year old Jeremy Young, ran across the street in front of their vehicle and appeared to reach into his waistband. Officer Velez shot Young 4 times, Young was transported to the local hospital where he was pronounced dead. After the shooting, Velez tried to coerce James into saying that he saw Young with a weapon, James refused and later recorded Velez admitting to killing Young without any remorse, it also showed Velez threatening James to keep quiet about the incident. Velez was eventually dismissed from the police department and later charged with second degree murder. Young’s family publicly accused the El Monte Police Department of a pattern of racial discrimination and misconduct, they did however acknowledge their appreciation for James’ honesty for refusing to cover for Velez. The El Monte Police chief later commented that James actions were in keeping with the high standards of his department, and that James was an important example of how misconduct won’t be tolerated.

## Personal Life

James was engaged to elementary school teacher Daniela Suarez in 2018 before the two eventually separated in May 2019. James has been romantically involved with gunsmith Talia Lloyd of TacWorks. James is an avid competitive shooter, an outdoorsman, and enjoys off roading. James is a Monday person, a Pisces in the western zodiac, and a Wood Pig in the Chinese zodiac.

In 2019, James received minor injuries when a vintage submachine gun he was using suffered a catastrophic malfunction and exploded. James suffered minor facial injuries from shrapnel, doctors said he came within a few millimeters of losing his eye.

## Trivia

* James is right-handed.
* James loves red velvet cupcakes.
* James wanted to be a scientist when he grew up.
* James applied for and was accepted to the California Highway Patrol but decided to join a local police department instead.
* James wanted to move to Miami when he was 16, after a trip in his senior year, he decided to abandon his plan.
* James once accidentally tased his training officer during an arrest.
* James says his hero is Daredevil, explaining "He’s just a regular guy who gets his ass kicked a lot for something he believes in!"
* James had a one-night stand with a professional athlete.

## See Also

* Sentinel Blue Tier One Team
	+ Steven Ellis: LAPD Captain
	+ Maggie Marks: HSI Member
	+ Sonia Knight: ICE Member
* Sentinel Blue Men's Team
	+ Steven Ellis: LAPD Member
	+ Kevin Hyde: ATF Member
	+ Calvin Winslow: HSI Member
	+ Todd Desmond: LASD Member
	+ Jason Hughes: VCSO Member
* Sentinel Blue Women's Team
	+ Maggie Marks: HSI Captain
	+ Sonia Knight: ICE Member
	+ Victoria Allen: BHPD Member
	+ Tracy McGaren: LAPD Member
	+ Charlie Lenzen: LASD Member
	+ Rachel Petersen: LAPP Member