Police: DPS shooting suspects ‘should never see light of day’
Oct 16, 2014, 11:34 AM | Updated: 12:17 pm
PHOENIX — Officials said the suspected triggerman in the shooting of an Arizona Department of Public Safety officer should “never see the light of day again” following his Wednesday night arrest.
Police arrested two men, 39-year-old Ramon L. Bueno and 26-year-old Danny Angel Vargas, in the Oct. 8 shooting of DPS officer James Casey.
“These are desperate people and they do desperate things,” said DPS Deputy Director Dennis Young.
“They have nothing to lose. When you’re willing to shoot a police officer, you’re willing to do anything.”
U.S. Marshal David Gonzales said his agency was prepared to follow Bueno and Vargas into other countries if necessary.
“We pulled out all the stops for a fellow officer,” he said at a Thursday press conference, adding that people like Bueno should “never see the light of day again.”
Bueno and Vargas were taken into custody together near 43rd and Northern avenues.
Police also believed Bueno was involved in the fatal shooting of 27-year-old Rocio Estrella on Sept. 20.
Two people were questioned last week in the DPS officer shooting and one was arrested on obstruction of justice charges. Another person of interest was questioned and released.
Bueno was the chief suspect in Casey’s shooting. Vargas may have been one of four others in the car during the 3 a.m. traffic stop.
A 24-year-old woman, Valeria S. Jaime, was arrested on suspicion of hindering prosecution last week and released with restrictions.
A Blue Alert was activated after Casey was shot near Interstate 17 and McDowell Road but was canceled around noon after the car was found abandoned. It was towed to the police crime lab from a Phoenix apartment complex.
Casey, a Marine, was released from the hospital and is recovering at home.
Bueno will make his first court appearance on numerous felony charges later this month. He is being held on $1 million bond.
Charges and bond for Vargas were not immediately released.
KTAR’s Sandra Haros contributed to this report.
