Richard Jeremiah Ramirez

CUSTODIAL DEATH REPORT Agency Information CDR Number: PA16417C Version Type: AMENDED 9/19/2016 10:01 Report Date: Status: Submitted AM Agency/Facility Information Cameron Police Agency Name: Agency Address: 605 West 4th Street Dept. Agency City: Cameron Agency State: TX Agency Zip: 76520 Director Information Director Salutation: Chief Director First Name: James Director Middle Name: R. Director Last Name: Dixon Reporter Name: James Dixon Reporter Email: [email protected] Decedent Information Custodial Death Report :: Page 1 of 8 --- PAGE BREAK --- Identity of Deceased First Name: Richard Middle Name: Jeremiah Last Name: Ramirez Suffix: Date of Birth: 6/15/1989 Sex: Male Race: Age At Time Of Death: 27 Date/Time of Custody (arrest, incarceration) (mm/dd/yyyy hh:mm AM/PM): Date/Time of Custody or 9/3/2016 12:35 PM Incident: Date/Time of Death (mm/dd/yyyy hh:mm AM/PM): Death Date and Time: 9/3/2016 12:35 PM Manner / Cause of Death Has a medical examiner or coroner conducted an evaluation to determine a cause of death? Medical Examiner/Coroner Yes, results are Evaluation?: available What was the manner of death? (select only one) Manner of Death: Justifiable Homicide Custodial Death Report :: Page 2 of 8 --- PAGE BREAK --- Medical Cause of Death: Medical Cause of Death: Multiple Gunshot Wounds Had the decedent been receiving treatment for the medical condition that caused the death after admission to your jail's jurisdiction? Medical Treatment: Not Applicable If death was an accident, homicide or suicide, who caused the death? Law Who caused the death?: enforcement/correctional staff If a weapon caused the death, what type of weapon caused the death? (Hold CTRL to select all that apply) Type of weapon that caused Handgun death?: Was the cause of death the result of a pre-existing medical condition or did the decedent develop the condition after admission? Not Applicable; cause of death was Pre existing medical accidental injury, condition?: intoxication, suicide or homicide If death was an accident, homicide or suicide, what was the means of death? Means of Death: Firearm Location / Custody Information Custodial Death Report :: Page 3 of 8 --- PAGE BREAK --- Where did the event causing the death occur? Street Address: 25th/Avenue G City: Temple County: Bell Zip: What location category best describes where the event causing the death occurred? Location Category: What type of custody/facility was the Decedent in at the time of death: Police Custody Type of Custody: (pre-booking) Specific type of custody/facility: Specific Type of Custody/Facility: Custody of Peace Officer during/fleeing arrest What was the time and date of the deceased's entry into the law enforcement facility where the death occurred (mm/dd/yyyy hh:mm AM/PM): Entry Date Time: Entry Date Time N/A: Where did the death occur? At the crime/arrest Death Location: scene General Information Custodial Death Report :: Page 4 of 8 --- PAGE BREAK --- Did any other law enforcement agencies respond to calls for service related to this incident? Other Agencies Respond?: What were the most serious offense(s) with which the deceased was (or would have been) charged with at the time of death? Offense 1: Aggravated Robbery Offense 2: Unauthorized Use of Vehicle Offense 3: Evading with Vehicle Not filed at time of Were the Charges:: death What were the types of charges or reason for contact? (Hold CTRL to select all that apply) Type of Offense: At any time during the incident and/or entry into the law enforcement facility, did the decedent display or use a weapon? Decedent display/use of weapons: At any time during the incident and/or entry into the law enforcement facility, did the decedent: Attempt to Injure Others?: At any time during the incident and/or entry into the law enforcement facility, did the decedent: Appear intoxicated (alcohol or Yes Make suicidal statements?: drugs): Exhibit any mental health Exhibit any medical problems?: problems?: Custodial Death Report :: Page 5 of 8 --- PAGE BREAK --- At any time during the incident and/or entry into the law enforcement facility, did the decedent: Barricade self or initiate Resist being handcuffed or No standoff?: arrested?: Physically attempt/assault Gain possession of officer's officer(s): weapon: Verbally threaten other(s) Escape or attempt to including law: escape/flee custody: Attempt gain possession officer's weapon: Was the deceased under restraint in the time leading up to the death or the events causing the death? Under Restraint: No Summary of Incident Summary of How the Death Occurred: (max. 30,000 characters) Summary: On Saturday September 3rd, 2016 at approximately 11:50am, I (Officer J. Teasdale #4112, Cameron PD) was dispatched to 901 E. Gillis in Cameron Texas, reference a stolen vehicle. The caller, identified as Cecilia Ramirez W/F DOB 4/25/1987, called 911 to report that her mother’s vehicle was just stolen at gun point. Cecilia states her estranged husband Richard Ramirez came to her home and demanded the keys to Cecilia’s mother’s vehicle. When Cecilia refused to give Richard the keys, he pulled out a shotgun and pointed it at his own head and told Cecilia if she didn’t give him the keys he was going to shoot himself in the head. Under duress Cecilia handed over the keys to the car. The car was described as a grey in color Nissan Altima. Officer Ashworth and I responded. We were told by Chief Randy Dixon that he had seen the suspect and the vehicle at the intersection of S. Crockett and Tyson Street. The suspect was said to be stopped at the 4-way stop sign and had his head down on the steering wheel. The suspect was last seen driving northbound on Crockett. Officer Ashworth and I checked the area but were unable to locate the suspect vehicle. We responded to the residence at 901 E. Gillis where the incident occurred. I spoke with Cecilia Ramirez who states that Richard Ramirez came to the house and demanded the keys to her mother’s car. It is unknown how Richard arrived at the residence. Cecilia was not able to tell us if Richard walked or was driven by another person. Cecilia says when she refused to give Richard the keys to her mother’s car, Richard pulled out a “shotgun” and pointed it at his head. Richard told Cecilia that if she did not give him the keys to the car he was going to shoot himself. We obtained what information we could about the vehicle itself and Officer Ashworth and I left the residence in an attempt to locate Richard and the vehicle. I am familiar with Richard Ramirez because I have had previous dealings with him. Richard Ramirez is a Custodial Death Report :: Page 6 of 8 --- PAGE BREAK --- known user of illicit narcotics and is known to be in possession of at least one and often two firearms. Officer Ashworth and I checked residences of Richard’s family, including a house on S. Austin St. and a house on W. 2nd St. we were unable to locate him. As I drove northbound on N. Travis Street from W. 4th St. I saw a gray in color Nissan Altima bearing TXLP CSD-3130, sitting at the gas pumps at the Mini-Mart located at N. Travis St and 7th St. I turned my marked patrol unit into the parking lot of the Arlan’s Grocery Store and drove back towards the Mini-Mart. The suspect vehicle had the driver side door open and was unoccupied. There was what appeared to be a 40 ounce beer sitting on the hood. I looked over and saw Richard Ramirez, who is known to me, leaning into the window of another vehicle at the gas pumps. It appeared as though he was talking to someone. I notified dispatch and Officer Ashworth via radio that I had located the suspect and gave my location. As I pulled in behind the suspect vehicle in my marked patrol unit I activated my emergency lights. Richard looked up and saw me. He immediately ran and got in the driver seat of the Nissan Altima and fled the scene in a reckless manner and at a high rate of speed. I turned on my siren in addition to the emergency lights. The pursuit went northbound on N. Travis at speeds in excess of 80mph. The suspect vehicle turned left (west) on 22nd Street. A DPS trooper had joined in the pursuit at or near the intersection of N. Travis and 22nd Street. As we approached the railroad tracks on W. 22nd Street the suspect vehicle stopped abruptly leaving skid marks. I began to exit my patrol car when the vehicle suddenly took off again. The suspect vehicle continued to driver recklessly and at a high rate of speed down 22nd Street until it became C.R. 223. At the intersection of C.R. 223 and C.R. 2269 the suspect vehicle turned left (south) and headed back towards down. The suspect vehicle was driving erratically and swerving into oncoming lanes. The vehicle would slow down and then speed up. Because we had probable cause to believe the suspect was armed with a shotgun, this officer believed the suspect was either looking for a place to ditch the vehicle and run on foot or stop and begin firing at the pursuing officers. At the intersection of C.R. 2269 and Hwy 190 the suspect vehicle turned left (east) on Hwy 190 and went back into town. The suspect vehicle turned right (south) on Bowie street and the pursuit continued at a high rate of speed through multiple residential streets. The suspect drove by his sister-in-law’s house on S. Austin and then by his mother-in-law’s house on W. 2nd. A group of the family appeared to be on the porch on W. 2nd Street and they were yelling Richard’s name as he drove by. Richard waved at them out the window. His driving was reckless and at high speeds. He disregarded all stop signs and had no regard for pedestrians or property. The suspect vehicle eventually traveled down W. 2nd street to Columbus where he drove behind the Brookshire Brothers Grocery Store. He sped through the parking lot on the side of Brookshire Brothers and then turned left (west) on Hwy 190. From there the pursuit reached speeds in excess of 100mph. The suspect continued to drive recklessly and swerve into oncoming lanes. I was notified via radio that Richard Ramirez had called 911 and was on the phone with Chief Randy Dixon. I was informed that Richard said he was armed and he was going to shoot the pursuing officers. Richard said he was going to pull into a gas station and begin shooting officers and the patrons of the store if officers approached him. All attempts to reason with Richard were unsuccessful. Richard was encouraged strongly to pull over and surrender. Richard’s continued threats of violence to officers and random civilians gave cause for great concern. The Cameron Police Department has had several recent incidents involving Richard Ramirez to include illicit drug use and possession with claims that he is distributing illicit substances. Home invasion/Burglary, Domestic Disturbances, Assaults, Criminal Mischief and vehicle crash in which he fled the scene. Multiple family members have reported that Richard is armed with a sawed-off shotgun and has made threats towards family members and direct threats towards law enforcement if they family “calls the cops” on him again. Officer J. Muhamet with Cameron PD sent out an Officer Safety Alert one week prior relaying the threats made by Richard Ramirez. Incidents with Richard Ramirez were increasing in frequency and severity and this officer believes that he posed an immediate and direct threat to law enforcement and the general public. The pursuit continued at high speeds through the town of Buckholtz and then into Rogers. Neither of the officers in Buckholtz or Rogers was able to deploy spike strips. We continued westbound towards Temple. As much notification as possible was given to Temple PD and Bell County Sheriff’s Office that our pursuit was heading towards them. As we entered Temple two additional DPS troopers joined in the pursuit. I am uncertain how many pursuing officers were behind me but I believe it to be about 5 or 6 marked units. When the two additional troopers joined I allowed them to get in front of me and take the lead in the pursuit. As we entered the city limits of Temple, two Temple PD units attempted to deploy spike strips but were unsuccessful. The pursuit continued into Temple and through the downtown area. Richard Ramirez continued to drive at high speeds and recklessly. At one point I could see Richard had his left arm out the window of the Custodial Death Report :: Page 7 of 8 --- PAGE BREAK --- car and it appeared he was holding his cell phone in his hand as if he were taking pictures of video of the pursuing officers. When the pursuit turned down Avenue G in Temple we drove passed a park that was full of children. Richard had slowed down and appeared to be looking at the park. At the intersection of Avenue G and 25th Street Richard took a right at the “T” intersection. The two lead pursuing DPS units followed him. I observed the suspect vehicle immediately turn into the parking lot of a tire shop. The suspect vehicle had turned around and was now traveling back towards all the pursuing units and I believed he was intentionally attempting to return to the park we had passed so that he could carry out the threats he had made on the phone. At that time I made the decision to end the pursuit and prevent Richard from driving back towards the park. I sharply turned my marked patrol unit into the parking lot of the tire shop and struck the suspect vehicle with my patrol vehicle. The front of my patrol vehicle struck the suspect vehicle on the front right side and the suspect vehicle stopped. As I exited my patrol vehicle so that I could detain Richard Ramirez I observed him raise a red in color shotgun at me. He used his left hand and appeared to raise the shotgun from either the front passenger seat or the passenger side floorboard. With an immediate fear for my life, I drew my department issued duty weapon and fired several rounds. A detailed report on the shooting will be available through either the Texas Rangers or the Temple Police Department or both. At time of report, suspect is deceased and the charges of Unauthorized Use of Motor Vehicle, Aggravated Robbery and Felony Evading in a Motor vehicle are exceptionally cleared. Custodial Death Report :: Page 8 of 8