Suspect Shot After Holding 7 People
Officer Opens Fire, Gunman Hit Twice

POSTED: 12:58 pm MST April 19, 2009


PHOENIX -- Three men are in custody after police said they held seven people at gunpoint during a home invasion in Phoenix.

The victims told police up to six men held them at gunpoint in an apartment, robbed them, and sexually assaulted a woman and a 14-year-old girl, said police spokesman Sgt. Andy Hill.

Officers called to the scene Saturday night saw several suspects running from the apartment in different directions.

One nine-year veteran on the force chased one of the suspects, identified as Jesus Garcia-Perea, 25 Hill says Garcia-Perea pointed his gun at the officer, who then shot him twice.

Garcia-Perea is in critical condition with two gunshot wounds and faces numerous charges.

Two other men were arrested. They are Jonathan Escarrega-Castillo, 21, and Jesus Serreno-Montoya, 22. Each faces charges of armed robbery and they face additional charges as the investigation progresses.

Police said they are looking for up to three additional suspects.

A uniformed police gang squad sergeant saw several suspects fleeing from the apartment and broadcast their description, Hill said.

The suspects split up and ran in different directions through the apartment complex, with several officers chasing after them, Hill said.

"One veteran patrol officer with more than nine years of service and another officer chased Garcia-Perea near the southwest corner of the complex and saw him run upstairs to a second floor landing carrying a handgun," Hill said.

As Garcia-Perea ran along that second-floor landing, the veteran officer, who was on the ground level, confronted Garcia-Perea and yelled at him to drop his gun, Hill said.

"While running on the second-story balcony, the suspect pointed the handgun at this officer and the officer fired upward at the suspect and hit him twice," Hill said. "The suspect dropped his weapon but continued running to the opposite side of the building where he was confronted by additional officers and taken into custody."

Escarrega-Castillo was taken into custody and police said they found he held some of the victim's belongings. Serreno-Montoya was apprehended by members of the Phoenix Police Special Assignments and K-9 Units as he was hiding in the back yard of a home in the 3400 block of West Glenrosa Street, Hill said.

"Escarrega-Castillo and Serreno-Montoya told robbery investigators they were in the United States illegally as investigators are still trying to verify their immigration status with ICE," Hill said.

Investigators are asking that anyone who witnessed the incident but did not contact police investigators to call the Phoenix Police Department's Violent Crimes Bureau desk at 602-262-6141.

People with information about the three other suspects should call Silent Witness at 480-WITNESS.
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