UPDATE: 10:20 a.m. Tuesday: A CCPD officer is on administrative leave and one suspect is dead and another behind bars after an incident Monday at the Puerto Del Mar Apartments in the 3800 block of Caravelle Parkway.
Police say that on Monday morning, an officer spotted 25-year-old Juan De Los Santos in the parking lot of the apartments, near Weber.
"(Police) observed a male underneath a vehicle, attempting to cut off the catalytic converter," interim CCPD Chief David Blackmon said. "The officer engaged the suspect. A struggle ensued at which time a second subject came up, produced a handgun. The officer disengaged the first subject and subsequently engaged the second subject."
That second person, 24-year-old Tristan Trevino, later died of their injuries.
Police booked De Los Santos Monday night.
The unidentified officer is now placed on paid administrative leave.
UPDATE: Officers with the Corpus Christi police department said the primary suspect related to the catalytic converter theft was taken into custody around 8:40 p.m. The suspect was positively identified as 25-year-old Juan De Los Santos.
De Los Santos was charged with Aggravated Robbery and Aggravated Assault on a Peace Officer.
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A man was shot earlier this morning in the parking lot of a Southside apartment complex in connection with the apparent attempted theft of a catalytic converter from a vehicle parked there.
Corpus Christi police said police were dispatched to the Puerto Del Mar Apartments in the 3800 block of Caravelle Parkway at 6:52 a.m. for an officer-involved shooting.
Upon arrival, it was determined that an officer was walking through the parking lot and observed a male under a vehicle attempting to cut off a catalytic converter.
The officer engaged the subject and as he attempted to take the subject into custody, a struggle ensued.
While the officer was battling with the male, a second subject approached the officer and produced a handgun. The officer subdued the first subject and as was subsequently engaging the second subject, that person was shot. That man was transported to a local hospital, where he later died of his injuries.
The initial subject fled on foot and is still outstanding at the moment.
This is still an active and ongoing investigation, police said.
As per Corpus Christi police department practice and policy, the officer who shot the suspect has been placed on paid administrative leave at this time.
The incident remains an active and ongoing investigation. If you have any information pertaining to this incident, you are encouraged to call the Corpus Christi Police Department Criminal Investigations Division at 361-886-2840.
Anyone who would like to keep their identity secret and still provide information to detectives should call Crime Stoppers at 888-TIPS (8477) or submit the tip online at https://www.p3tips.com/TipForm.aspx?ID=343&C=&T=.
CCPD says catalytic converter thefts are up 312%. Here are sometips to prevent your catalytic converter from being stolen.
