Seven arrested for helping suspect accused of killing California officer evade police

Seven people in California have been arrested across the state for allegedly helping a suspect accused of killing a police officer avoid capture.

Gustavo Perez Arriaga, 32, will be charged with homicide following the shooting death of Newman Cpl. Ronil Singh, 33, the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department announced Friday.

{mosads}He was arrested in a Lamont-area home without incident. Three people — Bernabe Madrigal Castaneda, Erasmo Villegas and Maria Luisa Moreno — who were also inside the house were arrested for aiding and abetting, CBS Sacramento reported. 

Four others were arrested on “accessory after the fact” for allegedly trying to protect Arriaga.

The suspect’s brothers, Adrian Virgen and Conrado Virgen Mendoza, his co-worker Erik Razo Quiroz, and his girlfriend, Ana Leyde Cervantes, were also arrested, according to CBS Sacramento.

Singh was shot early Wednesday morning after he pulled a truck over as part of a DUI investigation.

The shooting made national headlines after it was revealed that Arriaga was suspected of being in the U.S. illegally.

Stanislaus County Sheriff Adam Christianson said Thursday that Singh legally immigrated from Fiji.

“This suspect, unlike Ron — who immigrated to this country lawfully and legally to pursue his lifelong career of public safety, public service and being a police officer — this suspect is in our country illegally,” Christianson told reporters on Thursday. “He doesn’t belong here. He’s a criminal.”

President Trump tweeted about the case on Thursday to bring attention to his long-desired U.S.-Mexico border wall. A standoff between Trump and lawmakers over funding for the proposed wall triggered a partial government shutdown last week, which is likely to continue into the new year.

“There is right now a full scale manhunt going on in California for an illegal immigrant accused of shooting and killing a police officer during a traffic stop,” Trump wrote. “Time to get tough on Border Security. Build the Wall!” 

There is right now a full scale manhunt going on in California for an illegal immigrant accused of shooting and killing a police officer during a traffic stop. Time to get tough on Border Security. Build the Wall!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 27, 2018