CALIFORNIA: DV Suspect Flees, Shot While Trying to Carjack - Lives

HIGHTECHDUDE · #1 ● 03-23-2024, 11:55 PM

Lathrop PD finally pops their cherry on a bad guy, but Juan Valdez will live to pick more coffee beans...

LATHROP, (March 23, 2024) — There are several investigations taking place into the Lathrop police shooting of 40-year-old Juan Valdez on Saturday.

Lathrop police are investigating whether the officer was justified in shooting the suspect and the original domestic violence call.

The California Highway Patrol is investigating the attempted carjacking and the police shooting.

Video captured the moment Lathrop police officers started the chase of Valdez in his Nissan Sedan.

The pursuit ended 20 minutes later and about three miles away from the neighborhood when an officer fired his weapon, shooting Valdez on Interstate 5.

"This is a really good neighborhood," said Ron Bindell. "We saw that happen and it was like, 'Whoa, what's going on?'"

Bindell said he heard the sirens Saturday afternoon around 12:15 p.m., saw four police cars and then heard his next-door neighbors arguing.

"He stopped and he said, 'It wasn't me.' That was after she said, 'You tried to kill me,' and he was, 'That's not me,'" Bindell said.

Bindell said the officer asked Valdez to turn off his car, but he refused.

"He didn't do it, and at that point, they actually had their guns pointed at him," he said.

Bindell said his neighbor drove off a few minutes later, leading officers to I-5, south of Lathrop Avenue.

"The suspect's car was disabled and he got out and attempted to carjack an uninvolved motorist, at which point one of our officers shot the suspect," said Lt. Tracie Shea with Lathrop police.

Shea said due to the investigation, they aren't releasing any details about the shooting, such as why the officer fired their gun, how many times and whether Valdez had a weapon.

Shea said they train for these types of volatile situations.

"It's the call you hope you never get, but you know you have to be prepared for it," she said.

Neighbors wonder how it escalated so quickly.

"Hopefully, he gets the help he needs," Bindell said.

The officer has been placed on paid administrative leave during the investigation.

Lathrop police is a new law enforcement agency, established in June of 2022.

This is the department's first case of an officer shooting a suspect.

#OIS

Trucked up · #2 ● 03-24-2024, 10:17 AM

He survived, not like he scored 2 head shots & the guys brain is on the road.

kushie18 · #3 ● 03-24-2024, 11:37 AM

felon, charged with felons, committing felonies, who will continue to commit felonies. what a wonderful person to have roam the streets in the next few years.