Laredo police have released more information about the events that led to a officer-involved shootout at a Laredo convenience store Friday, which seriously injured three officers and killed a murder suspect.
In a press release sent Saturday, Laredo police said they received a call from a restaurant employee shortly after 11 a.m. Friday, saying that her co-worker's boyfriend called the restaurant. The employee said that 55-year-old Antonio Geraldo Rodriguez told her over the phone that she needed to send an ambulance. When the employee asked him why, she said he hung up.
When officers arrived at Rodriguez's apartment, they found a lifeless woman in the bedroom with a gunshot wound above her chest. She was identified as Rodriguez's girlfriend, Reyna Zamora Gonzalez, 50. She was pronounced dead later.
Detectives later called the number that Rodriguez allegedly called from and, after a brief exchange, he hung up and never answered the phone again.
As authorities searched for Rodriguez, an arrest warrant was issued for him on charges of murder.
At 5 p.m., police found him at a Stripes Convenience Store parking lot located at 5301 McPherson Road. As the officers approached, Rodriguez opened fire, drawing return fire from the officers and other officers who had just arrived as backup. Four Laredo police officers were injured and Rodriguez was killed.
One officer received "residual injuries from glass shrapnel" and was released from the hospital, Laredo police said. The three other officers were taken to San Antonio-area hospitals. Two officers underwent surgical procedures and "have good outlooks toward their condition."
The four officers injured were identified as Mario Casares Jr., 49; Roberto Cortinas, 52; Agapito Perez, 33; and Arturo Vela, 50. Laredo police have not clarified which of the officers was released and which officers are still in the hospital.
According to KENS in San Antonio, Perez was airlifted to University Hospital where he underwent surgery on Saturday morning due to a gunshot to his face. Vela is a 20-year veteran of LPD and also underwent surgery for a gunshot to the leg. Casares is a 19-year veteran of the department and was taken to SAMMC. He suffered a gunshot wound to the torso but did not require surgery. He is currently under observation.
