Alleged Gang Members Charged with Murder, Attempted Murder of a Peace Officer

Alleged Gang Members Charged with
Murder, Attempted Murder of a Peace Officer

February 27, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contacts: Joe Scott, Director of Communications
Sandi Gibbons, Public Information Officer
Jane Robison, News Secretary
(213) 974-3525

Los Angeles – Two alleged gang members believed to have shot and killed a man in front of a school last week and later exchanged gunfire with undercover Los Angeles Police Officers – prompting the death of one assailant – are due to be arraigned this afternoon.

Deputy District Attorney Phillip Stirling of the Crimes Against Peace Officers Section said Jose Angel Gomez (dob 09/26/89) and Rafael Carrillo (dob 08/02/82) will be arraigned in Division 30 of Los Angeles Superior Court. Stirling will co-prosecute the case with Deputy District Attorney John Colello.

Gomez and Carrillo, who authorities have identified as Avenues gang members, are charged in case No. BA336902 with two counts of murder – for the shooting deaths of Marcos Salas and Daniel Leon – including special circumstance allegations that the defendants murdered Salas to further the activities of the criminal street gang and multiple murders. It is further alleged that Gomez personally and intentionally discharged the firearm that killed Salas, according to the felony complaint.

Gomez and Carillo also face one count of assault with a semiautomatic firearm, two counts of attempted murder of a peace officer and one count of shooting an occupied motor vehicle, prosecutors said.

Leon, an Avenues gang member who allegedly assisted with Salas’ murder, was killed by police in a shootout soon afterward. Prosecutors charged Gomez and Carrillo with Leon’s murder alleging that the defendants engaged in a provocative act that drew a lethal response from police.

On Feb. 21, while Salas – a Cypress Park gang member – and his step-granddaughter stood in front of a school two vehicles pulled up and gunmen emerged, shooting and killing Salas.

Twenty minutes later, undercover LAPD Gang Enforcement Division officers spotted a vehicle driving erratically that matched the description of one of the vehicles in the earlier shooting. As the undercover officers followed the vehicle, the car stopped abruptly and two individuals – Leon and Gomez – got out and began shooting at the unmarked police car.

Leon, who fired at police with an assault rifle, was killed when officers returned fire. Gomez, alleged to have fired at police with a handgun, sustained serious injuries and was apprehended at the scene, prosecutors said. The alleged driver of the vehicle, Carillo, fled the scene but was apprehended four days later.

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