Thread: Gomez-Garcia was angry at cop, Hearing details alleged promi

http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_2846054

Gomez-Garcia was angry at cop
Hearing details alleged promise "to go back and shoot"
By Sean Kelly
Denver Post Staff Writer

Accused cop-killer Raul Gomez-Garcia shouted obscenities and told friends he was going to shoot a Denver police officer after he was barred from entering a baptism party, the lead detective on the case said Thursday.

Police said Gomez-Garcia left, returned with a gun and started firing at off-duty Detectives Donnie Young and Jack Bishop.

"Gomez-Garcia was very upset," said homicide Detective Martin Vigil. "Raul Gomez-Garcia was espousing that he was going to go back and shoot the officer."

New details on the shootings came Thursday in a preliminary hearing for Jaime Arana-del Angel, 27, charged as an accessory after-the-fact

Jaime Arana-del Angel, 27, shown last month, attends a preliminary hearing Thursday on accessory-after-the-fact charges. (Post / John Prieto)

to the May 8 first-degree murder of Young and to the attempted murder of Bishop.

Arana-del Angel, in interviews with police, said he helped Gomez-Garcia after the shootings out of fear and a desire to help his friend's family, with whom he had been living.

"He said he felt obligated because he was living with the family and he was just trying to assist the family more than he was assisting Mr. Gomez-Garcia," Vigil said.

Gomez-Garcia, 20, was arrested in Culiacán, Mexico, last month. He awaits extradition in a Mexican prison.

The country refuses to extradite its citizens if they face the death penalty or life in prison without parole. Denver District Attorney Mitch Morrissey has charged Gomez-Garcia with second-degree murder and attempted murder, charges that could carry up to 96 years in a Colorado prison.

Lynn Kimbrough, spokeswoman for Morrissey, said officials are making progress in compiling the extradition paperwork by an Aug. 3 deadline.

The charges against Arana-del Angel allege that he knew Gomez-Garcia had been involved in the shootings. Arana-del Angel faces up to 12 years in prison.

In sworn testimony Thursday, Detective Vigil said Gomez-Garcia was barred by Young from entering the party at Salon Ocampo, 1733 W. Mississippi Ave. He left but later returned, ambushing the two officers, according to police.
Young was hit once in the head and twice in the side. Bishop was hit once in the back but a bulletproof vest stopped the shot. Six shell casings were found at the scene.

Bishop never saw who shot him, but pulled his gun and tried to locate the shooter. Gomez-Garcia fled, the detective said, and went to the South Vrain Street home he shared with his common-law wife, her infant daughter, her family and Arana-del Angel.

Arana-del Angel told investigators that Gomez-Garcia said he shot the officers but "didn't mean" to kill Young. He said he helped dig a hole in the backyard and watched as Gomez-Garcia buried the gun's magazine and ammunition. They have not been found.

Later that day, Arana-del Angel said he bought a map at a 7-Eleven store, helped Gomez-Garcia with gas money, drove with him to the Western Slope town of Parachute and pointed the illegal immigrant toward California.

Vigil also said Gomez-Garcia confessed to his common-law wife shortly before he fled the state.

"Forgive me," Gomez-Garcia allegedly told her. "It was me."

Staff writer Sean Kelly can be reached at 303-820-1858 or skelly@denverpost.com.

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