Modesto man shot and killed while trying to stop burglary suspects
MODESTO -- A 20-year-old is facing charges after police said he shot and killed a man in West Modesto on Wednesday morning.
The victim has been identified as Emmanuel Gomez. Police said Gomez was following three suspects who he saw burglarizing a neighbor's car.
When the suspects started to flee, police said one of them pulled out a gun and fired multiple rounds at Gomez causing him to crash his truck into an orchard along Monticello Lane.
A growing memorial put together by Gomez's children now lies in this spot. They were all too heartbroken to talk about their father who died while trying to be a good neighbor.
"My neighbor was a great guy," said one neighbor who did not want to be identified. "We used to trade fruit all the time. Say hi to the kids and his wife as well."
Gomez was described as a family man by other neighbors.
"There was like an argument, and I guess he did his best to try and stop them," said one neighbor.
Modesto police arrested shooting suspect Austin Deshawn, 20, for the homicide of Gomez. The two other suspects with him were both 16-years-old and charged with burglary.
The age of the suspects does not come as a surprise to some people in the Modesto community.
"People do make mistakes but when it comes to something like this then I don't think they should get a second chance," said one neighbor.
A neighbor's life was lost in the act of looking out for his neighbor, but that will not stop this neighborhood from doing the same.
"We kind of do have to be more observant to what is going on in the neighborhood," said one neighbor. "Just because it is peaceful and quiet does not mean it is always going to be like that."