The suspect accused of shooting a Dallas Independent School District (ISD) police officer with the officer’s own gun is an illegal immigrant who crossed the border just four years ago, The Daily Wire has learned.
Jose Santiago Pantoja Morales allegedly grabbed Officer Justin Jones’ gun during a struggle last week and shot the 39-year-old officer in the leg before fleeing. Morales was later arrested and charged with aggravated assault of a public servant, while Jones is expected to survive his injuries.
A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson confirmed to The Daily Wire that Morales is in the country illegally and said the Mexican national told authorities that he last entered the United States by crossing the border near Eagle Pass, Texas, four years ago.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) learned of Morales’ arrest and lodged a detainer with local authorities on Friday, requesting that he be transferred to federal immigration custody following his release from local custody, the spokesperson said.
“The safest way to arrest and remove criminal illegal aliens from our streets is by lodging arrest detainers,” the DHS spokesperson told The Daily Wire. “ICE’s detainer requests are lawful and help safely transfer removable criminal aliens into federal custody.”
The shooting unfolded Thursday morning after Jones stopped to help Morales while the suspect was walking along a freeway.
Jones was flagged down around 10:39 a.m. by a man who identified himself as Morales’ coworker and said Morales was walking down the freeway, according to CBS News. Jones found Morales walking on the freeway’s center median before driving him to a nearby Walmart.
Once in the store’s parking lot, Jones noticed Morales digging through his own work bag and pulling out items, CBS News reported. Jones then exited the vehicle and took one of the items from Morales before pulling him out of the back seat and trying to turn him to face the car.
The two engaged in a struggle on the ground, during which Morales allegedly grabbed Jones’ gun and shot him in the leg, according to CBS News.
Morales fled the scene and was arrested roughly a mile away after allegedly trying to run from officers, according to NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth. Officers observed blood on his boots and shirt when they located him.
The suspect admitted to grabbing Jones’ gun and shooting him “so he could get away,” the outlet reported.
Morales was charged with aggravated assault of a public servant and is being held on a $500,000 bond.
“ICE will do everything in its power to detain and remove this criminal illegal alien from the Dallas community following the completion of his criminal proceedings,” the spokesperson said. “Under President Trump and Secretary Mullin, criminal illegal aliens like Morales are not welcome in the United States.”
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