MISSION, Texas -- In a tearful news conference, flanked by law enforcement officers from several agencies throughout the Rio Grande Valley, Mission Police Chief Robert Dominguez revealed new details about the events that led to the death of one of their own, Cpl. Jose Luis Espericueta.
Espericueta, a 13-year veteran affectionately referred to as “Speedy,” was killed Thursday night after responding to reports of an armed man.
At approximately 8:05 p.m., a woman reported that her son, 33-year-old Juan Carlos Chapa Jr., had fired into her car with a handgun near the corner of Stewart Road and U.S. Business 83.
Espericueta arrived on the scene to assist in locating Chapa who was seen walking near the 1700 block of East Business Highway 83.
When Espericueta attempted to make contact, Chapa fled and simultaneously began firing his gun at Espericueta, hitting him.
Chapa, who had previous run-ins with law enforcement, continued to exchange gunfire with several officers and was also hit several times.
Espericueta was transported to McAllen Medical Center where he was pronounced dead at 10:05 p.m. He’s the first Mission police officer killed in the line of duty since 1978, according to Dominguez.
Chapa was pronounced dead at Rio Grande Regional Hospital, though a time of death was not provided.
The Texas Rangers are continuing to investigate the shooting.
On Friday, U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, D-McAllen, offered condolences to the officer’s family.
“Our community was kept safe by an officer who paid the ultimate price for us. We must do all we can to prevent senseless violence and crime in our communities and support our men and women on the force,” Gonzalez said in a prepared statement.
Dominguez had been in Austin when the shooting occurred — there to attend an awards ceremony held by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement to honor another one of his officers — but was flown in to be with Espericueta’s family Thursday night.
He added he would be meeting with them Friday to address funeral arrangements which will be made public at a later time.
Fighting back tears, the chief thanked his law enforcement colleagues for their presence and their support.
“It is this type of relationship that we have as police officers that say a lot of what we do for our communities,” he said.
“Our officers as well as everyone in the line of duty work in an incredibly difficult environment,” Dominguez said. “At times, as we see today, this environment can be extremely dangerous.”
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