Escondido officers who shot, killed suspect ID’d

ESCONDIDO

Escondido police on Thursday released the names of two officers who fatally shot an armed homicide suspect in December after he led police on an hourslong pursuit.

Officers Danny Armenta and Zane Velasquez have each been police officers for five years, Lt. Bode Berreth said.

The suspect, 39-year-old Roberto Cazares Salgado, died at a hospital after the early morning Dec. 27 shootout with the two officers.

Armenta was shot in the exchange of gunfire, but “thankfully his bullet proof vest stopped the bullet, preventing him from being seriously injured,” Berreth said in a news release.

Hours earlier, there had been a fatal shooting in Vista, where Florencio Rodriguez, 42, was shot to death in the driveway of his home on Teelin Avenue near West Indian Rock Road.

Sheriff ’s officials identified Salgado as the suspect. Salgado knew Rodriguez, who was married to Salgado’s ex-girlfriend’s sister.

The county Sheriff’s Department asked local law enforcement to be on the lookout for Salgado’s 2018 Chevy Silverado.

Shortly before 11:20 p.m. — more than six hours after the killing — an Escondido officer spotted the truck. Salgado, who authorities said was behind the wheel, sped off, leading officers on an hourslong pursuit that continlong, ued even after the truck rolled over spike strips that deflated three of its tires.

Police learned that Salgado’s truck was equipped with the OnStar in-vehicle security system. At the request of police, the company disabled the truck in the area of Mission Avenue and Gamble Street in Escondido around 2:50 a.m. Dec. 27.

Salgado got out, armed with a handgun, Berreth said. The shootout started.

Berreth said the department will release body-worn camera footage of the incident at a later date.

After the department completes its investigation of the incident, the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office will review the case to determine if the officers bear any criminal liability for their actions. Such reviews are standard.

teri.figueroa@ sduniontribune.com