BREAKING: Officer opens fire on vehicle; four suspects sought, possibly injured

San Benito News photo by Francisco E. Jimenez Shown is the scene of an officer-involved shooting in the vicinity of North McCullough and Frances Streets in San Benito Wednesday evening.

San Benito News photo by Francisco E. Jimenez
Shown is the scene of an officer-involved shooting in the vicinity of North McCullough and Frances Streets in San Benito Wednesday evening.

By MICHAEL RODRIGUEZ & FRANCISCO E. JIMENEZ
San Benito News

An altercation at a local elementary school led to a shooting Wednesday night involving a San Benito police officer who reportedly discharged his firearm at four suspects.

Operations Chief Martin Morales Jr. of the San Benito Police Department confirmed that officer Joe Ledesma fired as many as five rounds into a Buick Sable carrying four individuals whom he described as young males.

According to the chief, the incident began as a dispute between two males, one of whom reportedly accosted the other at the basketball court behind Dr. Cash Elementary School. The suspect police identified as the aggressor fled the premises only to return moments later with three other individuals, at which point a physical altercation ensued, Morales said.

Police reported that the four suspects then got into the Sable and proceeded to drive down the 400 block of N. McCullough Street away from the basketball court. Ledesma arrived at the scene and ordered the four suspects out of the vehicle for questioning, Morales said.

“So he (Ledesma) turns to look at the car, and he’s telling them, ‘Hey, get out of the car. I need to interview you to see what’s going on,’” Morales said at the scene Wednesday. “The guys don’t want to do it; they don’t want to get out of the car.”

That’s when the chief said the driver of the Sable decided to “gun it” toward Ledesma, who Morales confirmed shot at the vehicle at least five times. The vehicle, according to Morales, then veered onto Frances Street, swerving around Ledesma and hitting a black pickup truck parked at a nearby residence.

“As Ledesma is walking towards the car, they put it in gear and they gun it straight at him,” Morales said. “At that point, the officer felt threatened for his life, and he opened fire.

“He fired about five rounds. The vehicle is hit, of course. They just go around him at the last minute. They make a left turn on Frances Street; they strike the black truck that’s right there on the left rear corner.”

Authorities further reported that the four suspects exited the vehicle and fled the scene. Though it remains unclear if any of the suspects were shot, police found blood inside the car.

“They continue forward and it stalls out right there,” Morales said as he pointed in the direction of the abandoned Sable. “It is unknown, really (if any of the suspects were hit), but there is blood in the car.”

As per SBPD protocol in officer-involved shootings, Morales said that Ledesma has been placed on administrative leave effective immediately pending a formal investigation. Ledesma’s weapon has also been confiscated.

“It is not a form of punishment; it’s just a procedure,” Morales said. “We’ve got to make sure that it was a justifiable shooting. It’s what would happen in any case regardless if he’s right or wrong. Of course, he won’t be able to work until we clear this up.”

In the meantime, police continue gathering evidence and obtaining a description of the suspects as well as any information that may lead to their whereabouts.

“There were early indications (of who the suspects are),” Morales said. “From what I understand they are teenagers.”

SBPD Assistant Operations Chief Michael Galvan indicated Wednesday that at least one of the four males may have ties to Mexico and could attempt to cross the border. Galvan added that there are unverified reports that the suspects may have fled in a green Chevrolet Suburban.

San Benito CISD Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction Celeste Sanchez said that no children were hurt in the incident as the campus was closed by 5:30 p.m. and all after school program activities had ceased by that time. Though there were reports of teenagers in the area, she said they may have been kids from the neighborhood playing at the court.

The incident marks the first officer-involved shooting within SBPD ranks since 2010, when officer Ramiro Escobedo was cleared of any wrongdoing after firing two rounds at a van that was reportedly speeding toward him.

For more developments, pick up a copy of the Sept. 15 edition of the San Benito News, subscribe to our e-Edition by clicking here or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

Permanent link to this article: https://www.sbnewspaper.com/2013/09/11/breaking-officer-opens-fire-on-vehicle-four-suspects-sought-possibly-injured/

14 comments

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    • TruthforTruth on September 17, 2013 at 3:58 pm
    • Reply

    James Dillion, I agree that stereotyping may be justified under certain circumstances…especially in South Texas society we find ourselves in today. I think this local article I came across might be of interest to you.

    http://www.valleymorningstar.com/news/local_news/article_01a8f19f-532c-5ad6-bccd-85cd2ec17b46.html

  1. Rick, never said the officer was a hothead, just said there is no shortage. Even if he’s not a ‘hothead’, you think it’s still right to shoot at a car full of young males just because they failed to answer your questions? Since when did we give these guys the authority to be judge, jury, and executioner? The officer is lucky none of the young makes wound up dead, could have been a fourteen– year–old or something… Just saying…

      • Fashion Police on September 14, 2013 at 12:31 pm
      • Reply

      I think it’s right to shoot at young males just for not pulling up their pants!

    1. I suggest you read the article again; especially, the parts “driver of the Sable decided to “gun it” toward Ledesma” and “As Ledesma is walking towards the car, they put it in gear and they gun it straight at him,” Morales said. “At that point, the officer felt threatened for his life, and he opened fire.”

      Alex Jones is nothing more than a ” right-wing conspiracy theorist” that even Glenn Beck thinks Alex Jones is a fascist!

      1. Bud, look up the definition of fascist and stop poisoning your mind with bird-brain beck.

        1. I could not agree with you more regarding Beck. However you are insulting the birds when you say beck has a bird brain. Beck does not have a brain, he can not even shed his own tears, he has to use VICKS vapo rub for fake tears. He is such a pathetic person who is in it just for the money.

          I did not say I agreed with beck when he say Alex Jones is a fascist. Based on his interviews, I still think Alex Jones is a conspiracy theorist.

          I agree there are “some” cops everywhere who should not be cops but we can not use a wide brush to paint all cops as hot-heads. If I had a 3,000 pound vehicle coming straight at me I wouldn’t stop and ask the person if they are over 18 years of age.Every confrontation is different.

    • Diana on September 13, 2013 at 7:15 am
    • Reply

    I personally know Joe. And I know that he is a down to earth good human being. This is what he was trained to do. I am glad no one was hurt. People it is his job to protect and serve. Hope your okay, Joe.

    • oli on September 12, 2013 at 11:14 am
    • Reply

    Hope Joe is doing ok He did his what he had to do in a line of duty

    • WeThePeople on September 12, 2013 at 11:11 am
    • Reply

    Many of these so-called ‘teenagers’ end up being their twenties. Just because they still act like a teenager, it doesn’t make them one. They also commit adult crimes. Happens all the time, everywhere. Sad situation.

    • Rick on September 12, 2013 at 7:58 am
    • Reply

    Hey Adam you were not there so how can you possibly come a conclusion that the Officer is a hot head???…. Like you said in your first sentence you would like to see what the investigation reveals so until then stop talking out of your butt. Oh yeah jump out of the way just like the movies…but this is real life I guess if these guys had a gun you would want the officer to shoot it out of there hands with a hip shot

    1. Josey Wales: Ten Bears They were real

  2. I’d like to see what the investigation reveals. To me, it seems hardly likely one would just stand there as a moving vehicle rushed toward you, with enough time for you to “fear for your life” and get off five rounds. It seems more likely he would fire at them for disobeying his commands, as everyone knows there is no shortage of hot heads out there. Notice also how the chief made sure to mention the officer felt threatened and feared for his life. (If he really feared for his life, wouldn’t he have jumped the heck out of the way?) Plus, same story for the shooting that happened in 2010 establishes a slight pattern.

      • houndfan88 on September 14, 2013 at 12:44 am
      • Reply

      why dont you enlist in the police academy and learn what these guys do out on the streets and protecting the citizens of san benito from morons who act like kids …fighting on school grounds and who knows…maybe drugs was involved…you should put yourself in their shoes for a day and see what they go through everyday….im sure you would have done the same thing the officer did..

    • Robert on September 11, 2013 at 11:22 pm
    • Reply

    Hope Ledesma is doing ok. Glad to hear he wasn’t hurt.

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