A dirty look in a parking lot turned into gunfire in Laredo. Police say a man pulled a gun after another driver stared at him. The trouble started at a store on San Bernardo Avenue. It ended with shots fired at an apartment building.
Laredo police arrested a 26 year old man named Juan De Dios Garcia. Cops say he shot at another driver's truck during a car chase. No one got hurt. But the case shows how fast a small fight can turn deadly on Laredo streets.
Police say two drivers locked eyes at a store on San Bernardo Avenue. One driver gave the other a hard look. It was like saying "what are you looking at." That turned into a chase through town.
Garcia was driving a white Cadillac, police say. The other driver was in a white GMC Sierra Denali truck. Police say Garcia shot at the truck during the chase. The truck ended up with bullet holes in it.
The chase ended at an apartment building in Laredo. Police say Garcia fired more shots from inside his home. No one got hit.
The truck driver called police after the shooting. Cops from the Patrol Division and a special team went to the scene. They arrested Garcia and took him to the police station.
Police searched Garcia's home. They found two 9mm guns. They also found empty shell casings that matched the gun fight.
Garcia now faces two felony gun charges. Each one can mean 2 to 20 years in prison. His bond was set at $50,000. Police say they may still file more charges.
Local news reports say Garcia has a long arrest record. He has been arrested more than a dozen times since he was 17. Some of those past arrests were for shooting at people. Records show he was also convicted before of armed robbery and a bad assault.
Shootings like this one scare families across Laredo. San Bernardo Avenue is a busy street with lots of shops. Many people drive that road every day. A road rage fight with a gun can hurt anyone nearby. Not just the two drivers.
This is not the first shooting on San Bernardo Avenue this year. Back in March, a man pointed a loaded gun at another man's head. That fight happened on the same street. Police arrested him too. Then in April, someone got hurt in another shooting on San Bernardo Avenue. That makes three gun cases on the same street in about five months.
Garcia still faces two felony gun charges. Laredo police say the case is still open. It is not clear yet if the DA will file more charges. El Tejano will update this story when police share more.
