Car linked to shooting of Harlingen officer found in Brownsville
Comments 4 | Recommend 1
Vehicle pulled from Rio Grande
June 25, 2008 - 11:14PM
Valley Freedom Newspapers
Brownsville police will search a car this morning looking for evidence that could lead to the identity of the person accused of ambushing a Harlingen police officer late Wednesday night.

Authorities believe the car is linked to the shooting.

Harlingen police officer Carlos Diaz was shot multiple times during a routine traffic stop, officials said.

The car, a white Mitsubishi Eclipse, was pulled from the Rio Grande near Hope Park at 2:30 a.m. this morning, Brownsville police Sgt. Jimmy Manrrique said.

Authorities will search the car once they get a search warrant signed by a judge, which they hope to be done within the next few hours.

The person driving the car has not be found.

It's believed the person drove from Harlingen to Brownsville where the individual might have been attempting to cross into Mexico.

Diaz, a four-year veteran with the Harlingen Police Department, was being treated for multiple gunshot wounds at Valley Baptist Medical Center late Wednesday, police spokesman David Osborne said.

It was not clear where the officer had been shot. He was listed in critical condition as of press time.

The incident occurred at the intersection of F Street and Buchanan Avenue at about 8:40 p.m., Osborne said.

Late Wednesday, his patrol car was parked in the lot in front of the Corner Mart convenience store at that intersection.

The car appeared to have bullet holes in the windshield in the area of the driver's seat. Crime scene investigators had roped off the area with tape and were taking photographs and collecting evidence from the pavement.

Osborne said Diaz had pulled over a vehicle at that intersection. The suspect got out of his car and shot at the officer while he was still in his police car, Osborne said.

"He was basically ambushed," he said.

A man who lives on Lincoln Avenue about a block away from where the shooting occurred said he was in his back yard and heard about six gunshots at about 8:45 p.m.

He said he initially thought it was fireworks, but quickly realized it was gunshots. He said he rushed toward the area and saw police cars speeding away from the scene of the shooting toward Expressway 77/83.

Police were searching Wednesday evening for what Osborne described as a "known suspect." He declined to elaborate on the suspect.

Osborne said Diaz remained calm after he had been shot. Diaz radioed to dispatchers, telling them that he had been shot, he said.

"His training kicked into action," Osborne said.

Osborne said the patrol car had a video camera, which investigators are checking for more information on what happened.

No arrests had been made as of press time.



http://www.brownsvilleherald.com/news/h ... utine.html