Riverside County District Attorney Mike Hestrin announced Wednesday, Oct. 26, that his office will seek the death penalty for the man charged with killing two Palm Springs police officers and attempting to kill 3 others.

“This was a heinous crime involving the murders of two police officers who were gunned down simply because they were police officers,” Hestrin said in a written statement. “The victims in this case were responding to a call for service and died in the line of duty protecting our community.”

John Hernandez Felix, 26, has pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder for the deaths of Officers Jose Gilbert Vega, 63, and Lesley Zerebny, 27, and three counts of attempted murder. He has also denied special circumstance enhancement allegations of committing multiple murders, murdering a law enforcement officer and lying in wait.

Those special circumstances are what made Felix eligible for the death penalty, according to a news release issued buy the District Attorney’s office Wednesday afternoon.

Felix was arrested early Sunday, Oct. 9, following a shootout with law enforcement and a standoff. Hestrin, in the past, classified the killings as an “ambush;” the officers responded to a domestic disturbance call at Felix’s parents’ Palm Springs home where Felix met them with armor-piercing gunfire from an AR-15 assault rifle.

Hestrin, in the written statement, said he met with family members of both officers Wednesday as well as experienced prosecutors to review the case.

Zerebny’s father, David Kling, in past interviews expressed that he and other family members believe the death penalty is warranted in this case.

This story is developing. Check back for more information.