Posted on 05/06/2010 5:33:01 AM PDT by cll
The civilian co-pilot of a San Juan municipal police helicopter attacked by gunmen Tuesday night died of his wounds Wednesday afternoon at the Río Piedras Medical Center, a Daily Sun source said.
The co-pilot, Jesús Fernando Quiñones Santiago, was injured Tuesday night along with Municipal Police officer Eduardo Meléndez Alvelo, when gunmen fired at least 31 shots at the helicopter they were riding during a high-speed chase over the San José sector of Río Piedras.
Doctors had to remove a bullet lodged in Quiñones Santiago, who was shot in the back. Meléndez Alvelo, who police said had bullet fragments near his armpit, was reportedly in stable condition and recovering at the hospital as of Wednesday afternoon.
The 11 people who were arrested by municipal police in connection with the incident, however, were set free after a San Juan prosecutor found that there was insufficient evidence to charge them. The FBI as well as state and municipal police are investigating the incident.
Police spokesman Damaris Pereira said the co-pilot and the police officer were hit when they helped pursue a driver after running a traffic stop on Blanes Street in Barriada Israel around 9:21 p.m. Tuesday.
Pereira said that as the suspect, José Gutiérrez Santana, was arrested and found with ammunition in his 2008 red Toyota Yaris vehicle, a group of men nearby began firing at the helicopter.
Quiñones Santiago and Meléndez Alvelo were wounded by the shots. The pilot, José Rivera, who was unhurt in the incident, was forced to land in the San José baseball field.
Municipal Police officer Shakira Báez, who gave chase and arrested Gutiérrez Santana, was unhurt.
Police Homicide Director Lt. José Rivera Alicea told the Daily Sun that municipal police found 33 bullet casings from a 223 caliber rifle on Aranjuez Street, from where police said the shots had came from. He said that police found munitions in vehicles in the area and detained 11 people as a result. Police Spokesman Eduardo Rodríguez said three were suspected of having fired the shots.
A San Juan prosecutor determined Wednesday that there was insufficient evidence to charge the 11 people, who were set free, said Rivera Alicea, adding that the FBI is investigating the incident because attempting to destroy an aircraft is a federal crime. He said that FBI agents and officials from the Federal Aviation Administration had questioned area residents on Wednesday.
He said that the joint investigation had turned up some leads on the suspected shooters.
“It could have been much worse had the helicopter lost control and crashed,” said Rivera Alicea, who added that a softball game was taking place at the San José baseball field where the helicopter made the emergency landing.
Gov. Fortuño said during a press conference earlier in the day that “this type of act is unacceptable in Puerto Rico.”
“There already are 11 individuals in custody at this time, who we believe are responsible for this act. To these and others who believe they can have their way, we want to them to know that we will not permit this,” the governor said of the helicopter incident, unaware that no charges would be filed against any of them in connection with the incident.
In fact, the governor did not explain how law enforcement officials would prevent a similar incident from happening.
“As far as I know [something like this] has not happened before, but it may have and I did not know about it. We are simply not going to permit this level of violence,” Fortuño said.
Daily Sun staff writer Xavira Neggers Crescioni contributed to this story.
Yes, they are ready for statehood...
Wow. Puerto Rico is part of the United States how long before this happens in Calipornia? Texas?
Sit on a second vest when in a chopper?
I’m kind of surprised it doesn’t happen more often.
Very sad what has happened to the island. My husband’s family is from there and I have visited many times over the last few decades and couldn’t believe how it has deteriorioted since the 70’s and 80’s. If it wasn’t for the high crime rate, drugs and high unemployment, it might have been a nice place to retire. This is a shocking story.
Set them up? Red car, runs from stop, leads chopper past ambush point...
Does not sound random.
The culture and Law Enforcement in Texas is quite different than California. I have known a couple of Texas Rangers, and they are very capable.
That said, there have been incidents along the border that no one can ignore. Generally against Border Patrol, but even some civilians have been held or shot.
One of the contributers, Daily Sun staff writer Xavira Neggers Crescioni probably should think about dropping or changing his middle name. It probably is OK in Puerto Rico, but if he has any plans of forwarding his career stateside, he is in deep doodoo.
Wow. Puerto Rico is part of the United States how long before this happens in Calipornia? Texas?
4 posted on Thursday, May 06, 2010 8:36:02 AM by GeronL (http://libertyfic.proboards.com << Get your science fiction and fiction test marketed)-———————————In the incident ofThe officer that was shot the other day in Arizona, articles said they were shooting at police helicopters...
I didn’t realize that the Amish had made it to PR!
I’m kind of surprised it doesn’t happen more often.Despite their relatively slow speed Helicopters are not an easy target to hit, especially if the shooter has no experience shooting at flying objects and does not know how to lead one
Hey! Let’s make them a state!
Actually, I disagree with the governor. This type of behavior is not only acceptable for Puerto Rico, it’s what we’ve come to expect.
There has to be a joke in there somewhere if it weren’t so darned serious I mean, what does the driver of the get away vehicle hope to accomplish with a high speed escape? I mean aren’t they on an island? There is a limited amount of space before the road dead ends or do they just ride around in circles until either the car or the helicopter runs out of gas?
I saw this helicopter on target from about a 1/4 of a mile before it made the forced landing. He was at a stationary hover of about one hundred feet AGL.
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Yes, they are ready for statehood...
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Well, it does look like they are ahead of some our gangs in Los Angeles!
At least I don’t recall any of our gangs yet downing an actual helicopter.
(But I suspect the LAPD knows better than to fly their helis in
some areas of Los Angeles!!!)
RIP.
Then it is the pilot’s fault.
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