Security guard killed by suspect breaking into cars identified; search for shooter continues
DALLAS - Police have identified the security guard killed by a man who was breaking into a car at a popular and busy Dallas shopping center Friday afternoon.
It happened at the Preston Center Plaza at Preston Road and Northwest Highway.
According to Dallas police, the shooting happened shortly before 3:30 p.m., when 34-year-old Adalberto Santiago saw a man breaking into a car.
When Santiago confronted the man, a fight happened and the suspect shot the security guard. Santiago was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Search underway for gunman who killed security guard when caught breaking into cars at Preston Center
Dallas police are searching for the gunman who shot and killed a security guard at a popular and busy shopping center.
The search for the gunman is continuing Saturday.
Dallas police said the suspect drove off in a gold Toyota Camry, which was later found in a closed parking lot in the 2200 block of N. Cockrell Hill Road, but the suspect was not there.
No further details have been released about the suspect.
Anyone with information is asked to call Det. Jonequia Acrond at 214-605-4691 or email jonequia.acrond@dallaspolice.gov.
FOX 4 spoke to a man who said he tried to help Santiago right after he was shot.
"I seen him. I seen the security guard got in his car, and he went to the suspect," the witness, who did not want to be identified, recalled.
The witness told FOX 4 he didn’t think much of it until he heard gunshots.
"I just hear four shots after about 30 seconds. I get out of my car. I see the suspect leave in the vehicle, and I see the security guard on the ground, already a lot of blood coming out," he said. "I’m calling 911 while I’m approaching the security guard. The security guard, he’s still moving his hand."
The witness said he stayed there until paramedics arrived.
"From there, I was just talking to him the entire time," he recalled.
The witness said he knew the security guard, and he was Puerto Rican and proud of his job as a security guard.
"He had an AKA name, ‘Nav,’ and I was just telling him, ‘Nav, get up man. It’s me, your friend from the parking lot, get up,’" he said.
But Santiago did not get up.
"The whole time, I’m feeling a pulse, and then I just see him take that last gasp and I don’t feel anything anymore," he said. "I wish I could have helped him a lot sooner."
Although they only knew each other a few weeks, Santiago will be missed by his friend from the parking lot.
"Every time we talked, he called me ‘Hermano,’ which means brother. He never called me by my name, just brother this, brother that," the witness recalled. "No matter what, I got your back and I’ll see you again."
The witness said Santiago was armed when the shooting happened. Police have not confirmed that information.