Dallas Police Department Officer Rogelio Santander died Wednesday morning as a result of injuries sustained during the course of duty Tuesday in Dallas. Santander, 27, was shot along with fellow officer Crystal Almeida, 26. Shot during the same incident was an employee of the Dallas Home Depot store where the incident occurred.
Police have arrested Armando Juarez, 29, on two charges of aggravated assault on a police officer and two previous felony theft charges. Juarez was captured around 10 p.m. Tuesday after a car chase involving officers from multiple law enforcement agencies. Juarez has now been charged with murder.
Santander was a 2014 graduate of Texas A&M University-Commerce and interned at the Commerce Police Department before becoming an officer in Dallas, according to university staff.
"All of us at Rogelio Santander’s university are devastated by this terrible loss," A&M-Commerce President Dr. Ray Keck said. "Rogelio chose to major in Criminal Justice and was engaged in helping maintain a safe life for us all. To lose his own young life in the line of duty is a tragedy. Our hearts and prayers go out to Rogelio’s family and his friends. Our flags on the campus at Texas A&M-Commerce are at half-staff in Rogelio’s honor."
Dallas-based KXAS-TV reported that Santander's father, Rogelio Santander, Sr., is the owner of a trucking business in Commerce.
Dallas police have said that Juarez was at a Home Depot in northwest Dallas about 4 p.m. Tuesday when he was acting suspiciously and possibly attempting to commit a theft at the store. An off-duty police officer was alerted by Home Depot loss prevention employee Scott Painter, the affidavit said. The off-duty Dallas officer arrested Juarez and confirmed that Juarez had a warrant, the affidavit said. The off-duty officer called for on-duty police to come to the store to confirm the warrant.
Santander and Almeida arrived and confirmed the warrant, the affidavit said. According to police, the off-duty officer was returning to the loss prevention office at Home Depot when he heard "shots fired" broadcast over the police radio. He saw Almeida, Santander and Painter on the ground of the office with apparent gunshot wounds, the affidavit said.
Body camera footage showed Almeida and Santander were trying to place the suspect into custody when he drew a handgun and shot the officers, the affidavit said. Almeida, Santander and Painter were taken to Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas.
"Thank you to our community and everyone at Presbyterian Hospital for your love and support during this time," the Dallas Police Department said in a statement. "Again, we ask that you please continue to pray for Officer Santander’s family and our department as we all try to cope with this tragic loss."
This is a breaking story that has been updated.
