A homicide suspect chased for six hours was shot and killed Monday morning by Escondido Police in an exchange of gunfire in which one bullet struck an officer’s bullet-proof vest.
Deputies found the homicide victim, Florencio Rodriguez, 42, with gunshot wounds laying on the driveway of his home in the 1300 block of Teelin Avenue in Vista about 5 p.m. Sunday, according to the San Diego Sheriff’s Department. Rodriguez was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics.
The suspect was not at the scene, but was later identified as 39-year-old Roberto Cazares Salgado, Lt. Thomas Seiver said.
Later in the evening, the Escondido Police Department located Salgado and began a pursuit that lasted six hours, with several attempts to stop the driver, including the use of spike strips until eventually the OnStar service was used to disable the vehicle’s engine.
Police chased the suspect from Vista to Oceanside, eventually ending back in Escondido, and the car came to a stop at Mission Avenue and Gamble Street about 3 a.m.
Salgado exchanged gunfire with at least one officer, who was hit on his bullet-proof vest, Seiver said.
The officer was taken to Palomar Medical Center in stable condition.
A passenger who was in the vehicle with the suspect was uninjured and will be interviewed by police, according to Fox 5. Early incident logs report the passenger a “hostage,” but it is unclear if she was in the vehicle willingly.
Mission Avenue was closed between North Broadway and Fig Street.
