2 men arrested after El Paso police shooting in West Side trespassing case
A homeless man was shot and wounded by an El Paso police officer when he allegedly threw a large rock at officers during a late-night trespassing call at a duplex on the West Side last week, police officials said.
Two men were arrested on various charges following the police shooting on Feb. 20 at a duplex in the 7200 block of Royal Arms Drive near Resler Drive, stated an EPPD news release issued on Thursday, Feb. 29.
Efrain Rivera III, 24, was booked into jail on Monday, Feb. 26, after he was released from a hospital where he was treated for a gunshot wound. Rivera faces two counts of aggravated assault against a public servant.
Rivera and Dominick Vincent Sebastian Giangrossi, 22, who faces a resisting arrest charge, are also both accused of criminal trespass of a habitation and criminal mischief causing more than $2,500 in damage, jail records stated.
El Paso police shoot man during West Side trespassing incident
Neighbors told Channel 7-KVIA that Rivera previously lived in the house and was homeless after being evicted.
About 3 a.m., two police officers from the Westside Regional Command Center responded to a call regarding a trespassing in progress at the empty house on Royal Arms Drive.
One officer has been with the police department for four years and the other has one year with the department, officials said. The names of the officers were not disclosed.
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Upon arrival, the officers heard loud noises coming from inside the house. Two men were inside, police stated. The officers positioned themselves in the rear of the house after seeing the trespassing suspects heading to the backyard.
The four-year veteran officer drew his gun while the second officer drew a stun weapon, ordering Rivera and Giangrossi to surrender. But Rivera allegedly refused, threw a large rock and the officer fired his gun.
Rivera allegedly ran and was chased by the four-year officer, who fired "his gun again in response to a perceived threat to his safety," the news release stated. The officer used his Taser electric-stun weapon, but Rivera allegedly continued to struggle until being arrested.
The other officer took Giangrossi into custody inside the house after allegedly resisting arrest, police said. Giangrossi, of West El Paso, was booked into jail and released on personal recognizance bond requiring only a signature on Feb. 23, according to jail records.
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Rivera, who was initially taken to a hospital in critical but stable condition after being shot, is being held at the El Paso County Jail Annex on a total bond of $170,000. A magistrate judge refused to lower the bond at a hearing earlier this week.
The case remains under investigation by the police Crimes Against Persons Unit, Internal Affairs and the Texas Rangers as is standard procedure for all El Paso police officer-involved shootings.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: 2 men arrested after El Paso police shooting in trespassing case
