Police: Federal agent shot drug dealer trying to rob him

Investigator fired in self-defense at a Chula Vista strip mall, killing suspect, police say

By Pauline Repard | 9:46 a.m. June 15, 2016 | Updated, 3:18 p.m.

CHULA VISTA — Police released new information Wednesday about an officer-involved shooting in Chula Vista, saying a drug suspect tried to rob a plainclothes federal agent who then fired in self-defense, killing the suspect.

The names of the Homeland Security Investigations senior agent and the man he shot were not released.

Four other suspects were arrested Tuesday afternoon, within hours of the shooting, and a fifth suspect later turned himself in at the San Ysidro border crossing, Chula Vista police Capt. Lon Turner said Wednesday.




View GalleryAuthorities said an Operation Alliance drug task force of federal, state and local officers arranged a 2 p.m. meeting with a group of suspected marijuana traffickers in a strip mall called the Shops at San Miguel Ranch, on Proctor Valley Road in the Eastlake neighborhood of Chula Vista.

The meeting unraveled into violence as at least one of the suspects assaulted the agent and tried to rob him, Turner said. The agent drew a handgun and shot the suspect several times. Paramedics took the man to a trauma center, where he died.

The agent, with Immigration and Customs Enforcement under Homeland Security, was treated at a hospital and released.

Some of the suspects took off in two vehicles, a white Ford Focus and a red SUV.

The Focus collided with another car a few blocks away on Huntington Point Court, causing only minor damage. The three men in the Ford ran off and two may have tried to carjack a nearby motorist, Turner said. Officers swarmed into the area, searching neighborhoods and a large, empty field near a UPS facility. Within about an hour they had three in custody: Jesus Rizo, 20, Rafael Morataya-Aguilar, 19, and Jovani Bernal-Moreno, whose age was not available.

Officers blocked off most of the shopping center and began to contact shoppers and employees who had been warned to shelter in place after the shooting. Witnesses told officers that one of their suspects may have walked off through the parking lot. Turner said officers matched up every car in the lot with an owner except for one silver Chevrolet Cruze.

They could see condensation inside the car, suggesting it was being fogged up by someone’s breath. Turner said officers called out orders for anyone to come out of the car, and when a police dog barked, the trunk popped open. Sergio Arias-Ibarra, 31, surrendered without further incident about 6 p.m.

A final suspect, Miguel Parra, 22, turned himself in to Chula Vista police at the San Ysidro pedestrian crossing later in the night, Turner said. He said a second man also surrendered with Parra, but was released.

The five men were arrested on suspicion of possessing marijuana for sales, conspiracy and robbery, Turner said.

No information was available about whether agents seized marijuana from the men or whether any were armed. An Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokeswoman said the narcotics investigation is continuing and no information about case would be released.

Police: Drug suspect tried to rob agent, then was shot ...