Suspect Was Wearing Bulletproof Vest

POSTED: 5:07 pm PST December 19, 2005
UPDATED: 6:15 pm PST December 19, 2005

TURLOCK, Calif. -- New details were released Monday in a shooting last week that ended with a wounded Turlock police officer and a dead suspect.


The shooting happened Friday at Geer Road and Hawkeye Avenue in Turlock. Authorities said the officer tried to stop two men in a car but instead of stopping, the men pulled into an apartment complex and fled on foot. Police said one of the men then began firing at the officer, striking him three times. The suspected gunman was shot and killed by another officer. The other man was taken into custody shortly before 6 a.m. after dozens of police officers searched the area.


On Monday, police identified the names of the police officers and suspects involved in the shooting, including the suspect who was shot and killed -- Rafael Cuevas Jr.


Police said that Officer Joey Rodriguez tried to pull Cuevas' car over, when Cuevas jumped out of his car and shot the Rodriguez in the arm, the leg and the chest; however, a bulletproof vest deflected the shot to his torso.


Police said Cuevas was also wearing a bulletproof vest and carried a police scanner, but the vest did not save him after he was shot by Officer Russell Holeman.


Lt. Allen Luty said that Rodriguez is looking forward to coming back to work.


"That tells you everything you need to know about Joey Rodriguez," Luty said.


In a press release issued Monday, the Turlock Police Department said Cuevas had three tattoos on his chest -- "Norteno," the number "187" -- which is the penal code number for homicide -- and the number "211" which is the penal code number for armed robbery.


In the past, Cuevas has been jailed in Stanislaus County and Merced County, and in a California state prison for attempted homicide.


Cuevas' 18-year-old nephew -- Edward Valencia -- was also in the car the night of the shootout. He faces at least two misdemeanor charges.


Rodriguez said he plans to return to work in about eight months, after recovering from surgery and undergoing physical therapy.


Holeman is expected to return to work after three more days of administrative leave.


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December 16, 2005: Turlock Police Officer Shot

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Quoted: Suspect Was Wearing Bulletproof Vest <snip> Police said Cuevas was also wearing a bulletproof vest and carried a police scanner, but the vest did not save him after he was shot by Officer Russell Holeman. <snip> In a press release issued Monday, the Turlock Police Department said Cuevas had three tattoos on his chest -- "Norteno," the number "187" -- which is the penal code number for homicide -- and the number "211" which is the penal code number for armed robbery. <snip>

"Good shoot" to Officer Holeman.    

Those tats have given me an idea........ why not ink an inmate's rap sheet on him/her?  It would serve a # of purposes:

1) If you think ppl are lying to you about who they are, etc, you can always check their back or chest.
2) Serves kind of like a "Scarlet A".... letting others (ostensibly law-abiding citizens) know that these ppl are likely bad news
3) Good for the inmate, too.  Serves as a billboard, as if to say/brag "Hey, I've done this.  I deserve* my street cred."


* Or, "I'm a fucking poseur, and I lied about being in Club Fed for eight years and that guy I killed back in Laredo."