BULLETPROOF VEST SAVES DEPUTY SHOT 5 TIMES DURING CONFRONTATION.

Byline: Associated Press 

A bulletproof vest saved the life of a sheriff's deputy who was shot five times in Paramount, authorities said.

Deputy Robert Pavlik, 30, was removed from the intensive care unit Sunday following surgery and was listed in good condition at Long Beach Memorial Medical Center.

``Deputy Pavlik is in good spirits and spent the day watching football with his family,'' said Los Angeles County sheriff's Deputy Bob Killeen.

Shortly after the shooting, Arthur Rodriguez, 28, of Paramount was arrested for investigation of being an ex-felon in possession of a gun and for parole violations, said Elsa Avila, a sheriff's spokeswoman.

He was treated for a minor leg wound at a hospital and transferred to the County-USC Medical Center jail ward. It was unclear how he was injured, Avila said.

Pavlik, a 7-year veteran and father of four, scuffled with a bicyclist while responding to a reported disturbance at about 4:30 p.m. Saturday. He was shot five times, including twice in the chest, Killeen said.

``Those (chest shots) would have been fatal if he had not been wearing his body armor,'' Killeen said.

The bicyclist and another man fled the scene, but authorities cordoned off the neighborhood, calling in dogs and a special weapons team to the area 15 miles southeast of downtown.