3NEWS sat down with Corpus Christi Police Chief Mike Markle after an arrest affidavit revealed the suspect shot at the officers from the back of a police car.
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Nearly a week after a shooting that left three Corpus Christi police officers injured, newly released court documents reveal that the suspect, Ricardo Rojas, allegedly opened fire from the back seat of a patrol vehicle after officers had already searched him for weapons.
According to the arrest affidavit, officers had detained Rojas as part of an investigation into a deadly shooting on the city’s Westside. Police searched him before placing him in the back of a squad car, then stepped away to examine his van for evidence tied to the homicide case. When they returned, Rojas pulled a gun and shot at them through the cage of the patrol vehicle, according to the affidavit.
One officer remains at the hospital in critical condition, though all three survived.
Corpus Christi Police Chief Mike Markle said his officers must make quick decisions with the information available at the time.
“How much information do I have? How far do I go with this stop as I investigate further?” Markle said.
3NEWS asked why Rojas had not been handcuffed before being placed in the patrol car.
“He wasn’t because that’s a decision they made,” Markle said. “That’s a decision they made based on what they had at the time. So again, those are the things that are reviewed and discussed. And is there a change of policy needed? I don’t think so. I think we train very well. But we’ll reinforce training, reinforce the need to be very safe.”
Rojas is charged with four counts of attempted capital murder, one count of murder and unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. Chief Markle said the fourth attempted capital murder charge stems from body camera footage.
“Review of some of the body cam footage shows that he did in fact point a gun, maybe even shot at another officer that was not struck,” Markle said.
Markle confirmed that Rojas has a prior criminal history, including felony possession of a weapon, though officers were unaware of that background at the time of the encounter.
The Chief also shared an update on Officer Alexandria Castro-Cano, who suffered life-threatening injuries and remains hospitalized.
“It was a catastrophic injury, so she’s doing well. She’s a very strong young lady. She has a great family and a great support system. So she’s doing exceptionally well in my opinion,” Markle said.
The investigation remains active. 3NEWS will continue to provide updates on Officer Castro-Cano’s condition and the case as it develops.