WEST COVINA (CNS) – A felon suspected of shooting a West Covina police officer last month was charged today with attempted murder of a peace officer. Jose R. Chavez, 47, is scheduled to be arraigned Thursday at the West Covina courthouse on the attempted murder charge, along with one felony count each of assault on a peace officer with a semiautomatic firearm and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The criminal complaint includes gun and gang allegations, along with an allegation that Chavez had been released from custody on bail or his own recognizance in a drug case. Chavez was arrested in La Puente just after 2 a.m. last Thursday by a sheriff’s SWAT team and taken to a hospital to be treated for injuries he suffered in the May 20 gunbattle. He is accused of shooting West Covina police Officer Kenny Benitez in the upper body about 11:20 p.m. May 20 near the intersection of North Yaleton Avenue and Badillo Street.
“Chavez fired numerous rounds at the officer as the officer attempted to detain him,” Deputy Sara Rodriguez of the Sheriff’s Information Bureau said last month. According to sheriff’s homicide detectives assisting West Covina police with the officer-involved shooting investigation, Benitez had “contacted” a man riding a bicycle, which left to a gunfight between the officer and the cyclist, according to Deputy Trina Schrader. Benitez was hospitalized, but has since been released. It’s unclear what led to the escalation after the initial contact was made by Benitez or why the officer initially stopped the man.
CNS-06-01-2016 15:24