FRESNO, Calif. (KMJ/KFSN) – A suspect in an August shooting involving California Highway Patrol officers and a Fresno County Sheriff’s deputy has died in the hospital.
Fresno Police revealed Thursday that 39-year-old Angel Rojas of Fresno died from his injuries on August 30.
Rojas was shot in the upper body by two CHP officers and a Fresno County Sheriff’s deputy on August 20 just before 3 p.m. outside a home on Grant Avenue and Seventh Street in Central Fresno.
Police say the CHP’s vehicle theft team was investigating a stolen truck when they found a man, later identified as Rojas’, sitting in the driver’s seat.
As officers tried to speak with him, they say Rojas put his vehicle into reverse and rammed two of their unmarked patrol cars which had flashing police lights. Officers then opened fire on Rojas.
“It’s important to note officers were out on foot in and around the area at the time they were trying to apprehend him so therefore the officers were placed in immediate danger,” said Fresno Police Lt. Paul Cervantes in August.
Fresno Police say detectives later found a loaded gun on the driver’s side floorboard of the truck.
No officers were injured in the shooting and no one was wearing body-worm cameras.
Rojas was on active post-release community supervision and was wanted for a violation of his probation.
A woman was also arrested in the case. She was not in the stolen truck at the time and her identity has not been released.
Listen to the report by KMJ’s Liz Kern.
