Wanted shooter from Tipton arrested in Santa Cruz
On October 19, 2019, at about 12:15 p.m., Tulare Police Officers were dispatched to a report of a shooting near the intersection of O Street and King Ave within city limits.
Upon arrival they contacted an adult male who said he had just been shot at while he was sitting in his vehicle. It appeared stray bullets had also struck a nearby apartment and went through a window of a room where a small child was napping. The vehicle was described as a gold colored Cadillac and a partial license plate was provided.
Later the same day an on-duty patrol officer observed a vehicle that matched the description. He coordinated with other patrol officers via radio and made contact with four subjects that were associated with this vehicle. One of these subjects was in possession of a semi-automatic handgun. It appeared to be the same caliber as one that was believed to have been used in the crime yet it’s unknown if it’s indeed the same gun. The four occupants were arrested for further investigation and transported to the Tulare Police Department for booking and interviews.
Further investigation was conducted and the primary suspect in the shooting was identified as 19-year-old Jose Luis Aguilera who wasn’t in the vehicle at the time of the stop. Detectives served a search warrant at his residence a few days later however Aguilera wasn’t home and hasn’t been seen since. An arrest warrant was signed by a judge and placed into the National Crime Information Center system.
On Wednesday, Tulare Police learned Aguilera had been arrested by the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s
Office when they contacted him on an unrelated incident. They learned of the arrest warrant after running his name through the National Crime Information Center (NCIC). He was later transported to Tulare County Jail where he’s being held without bail. He faces charges of attempted murder, reckless discharge of a firearm, child endangerment and gang allegation enhancements.