SAN BENITO, Texas – A Texas police officer was fatally shot after joining a lengthy chase of two men who fled a traffic stop, switched cars and raced through several cities near the U.S.-Mexico border before they were finally caught hours later, authorities said Wednesday.
Lt. Milton Resendez of the San Benito Police Department was pronounced dead at a hospital after a bullet went through the door of his patrol car and struck him in the abdomen just below his body armor, Chief Mario Perea told reporters. Perea did not say which of the suspects shot Resendez and he said they didn't know how many rounds were fired.
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Earlier in the pursuit, before Resendez was shot, the suspects had exchanged gunfire with another group of officers who were not injured, authorities said.
“He cared about everyone. He got along with everyone,” Perea said of Resendez, who had spent about 30 years as a police officer.
The two suspects — Rogelio Martinez Jr., 18, of Brownsville and Rodrigo Axel Espinosa Valdez, 23, of Mexico — are facing multiple charges including capital murder, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and evading arrest, Cameron County District Attorney Luis Saenz said. Online jail records do not list attorneys who can speak on their behalf.
Saenz said the pursuit began around 4:30 p.m. Tuesday on South Padre Island when a truck carrying the two men, two women and two small children was pulled over for speeding on the beach. As the driver was being questioned outside of the truck, a passenger started the truck, the driver jumped into the bed and they sped off, he said.
At one point, the two women and the children got out of the vehicle, Saenz said. The women were detained and questioned.
Saenz said that after the men were pursued into Brownsville, an exchange of gunfire made officers stand back and lose sight of the truck.
Later, the truck was found disabled. At about 10:30 p.m. the suspects were spotted in a sport utility vehicle in Brownsville and a pursuit ensued that went into San Benito, where Resendez was shot.
The pursuit then returned to Brownsville, where the men were arrested after fleeing from their sport utility vehicle after officers disabled it by performing a maneuver where a vehicle is intentionally bumped, Saenz said.
Perea said that Resendez spent most of his law enforcement career with the San Benito police.
“It's hard right now,” Perea said. “We lost one of our own. He worked with us for so long he's not just a coworker, he's part of our family now.”
Gov. Greg Abbott said in a statement that “hearts across Texas grieve with the family and loved ones” of Resendez.
The Texas Rangers are investigating.