An intense search operation carried out by Coahuila security forces ended with the arrest of Chad “N.”, a U.S. citizen identified as the alleged person responsible for the armed attack that left three people dead and seriously injured a woman in the Antonio Cárdenas neighborhood of Saltillo.
The man was arrested while allegedly attempting to leave the country through the International Bridge Number 2 in Piedras Negras, carrying his three-year-old son with him.
He allegedly argued with his ex-partner over child custody
According to the investigation file compiled by the State Attorney General’s Office, the events occurred Tuesday afternoon, when the now-detained man went to the home where his former partner, Litzy Ahahí Mora, lived. There, he allegedly had an argument with her related to the custody of their child.
Initial investigations indicate that, during the confrontation, the American citizen allegedly pulled out a firearm and shot the people who were inside the house.
Three people died from gunshot wounds; the child’s mother remains in critical condition
The victims who died at the scene were Ana Laura de León Morín, 44; Laura Jaquelín Mora de León, 22; and Emanuel Montero, 54.
The only survivor of the attack was Litzy Ahahí, 26, who suffered a gunshot wound to the head and remains hospitalized under a guarded prognosis.
After the attack, he fled north in a pickup truck
After the shooting, the alleged attacker left the property taking the child he had with the woman and got into a gray Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck, heading north through the state.
Family members, after losing contact with the victims, went to the residence and, with help from neighbors, entered the home when they received no response. They found the four people injured by gunfire.
After the emergency call to 911, paramedics confirmed the death of three victims, while the injured woman was urgently transported to a hospital.
As investigations began, ministerial agents analyzed surveillance footage and other evidence, allowing them to establish the route used by the suspect during his escape.
Authorities prevented him from leaving Mexican territory
The images confirmed that the truck traveled along the highway toward northern Coahuila, passing through the municipality of Castaños. As a result, an alert was issued among different security agencies to prevent him from leaving Mexico.
Hours later, State Police officers located the vehicle at International Bridge Number 2 in Piedras Negras, where Chad “N.” was arrested before crossing into the United States.
Three-year-old child placed under protection of Pronnif
During the operation, authorities also located the three-year-old child, who was found in good health and placed under the protection of the Prosecutor’s Office for Children, Adolescents and the Family (Pronnif), which will continue monitoring his situation.
Suspected attacker is a former Texas police officer
As part of the investigation, the State Attorney General’s Office reported that the detainee is a former police officer from the Bangs Police Department in Texas.
Authorities also stated that he had previous records related to alleged domestic violence incidents and a restraining order involving his family environment, information that is being considered as part of the investigation to determine the motive behind the crime.
Following his arrest, Chad “N.” was placed at the disposal of the Public Prosecutor’s Office, which will continue building the case before presenting him before a judge and formally charging him with the corresponding crimes.
The State Attorney General’s Office continues its investigation to fully clarify the circumstances surrounding this multiple homicide, considered one of the most impactful recent cases in the capital city of Coahuila.
Source: milenio
